The daily Alaska citizen., 1920-01-10
WILSON PROCEDURE LOGICAL

The resolution endorsing President Wilson's stand on the league of nations adopted yesterday by the democratic party leaders at the national committee meeting contains essentially the suggestion made by Mr. Wilson iu his message to the com mittcemen and others attending the Jack son Day banquet. In view. of the attitude assumed by the republican leaders in the senate. in consideration of their unrcmit- ting attacks on Mr. Wilson's administra- tion. attacks which for viciousness and studied msolcnce have no parallel in the political history of the country, the com mittcc could have taken no other stand nol Mr. Wilson made any other recommenda- tion regarding the league unless he backed completely down.
 The proposal to carry the question di- rect to the American people must not be considered independently of the whole treaty affair. IL is but single incident and in the ioht of events leading up to it it k but logical development of what has gone before. Seven months of considera- tiou has been given the treaty by the sen- ate without result. Students of that docu- meut have stood amazed at the course pur- sued by the opposition. They have watch cd senators ignore the most important parts of ii in order to carry on a fight against Mr. Wilson. Addressing the sen, ate regarding the opposition course, Sen ator NcCumbcr, who voted for the com mttcc reservations when the test came declared; If fact stands in the way of their forensic eIOQuence so much the worse for the fact" Admitting that oratory travelled faster than truth, he said that 'l am ccrain that truth will travel longer end the American people will understand the true meaning and true purpose of the league of nations; not understand it to be perfect. because it is very far from being perfect in my opinion, but understand that it is a right step in the right direction; and that ii is not subject to many and most of the criticisms that are being urged against it.
 "What l have complained of, and stil condemn. is not that their declarations have been devoid of any semblance of truth but that they persistently avoid presenting the whole truth"
 Before the treaty had ever been pre- sented to the senate, in fact before the fina draft of the league of nations had beer adopted by the Versailles conference, cer tain republican leaders had determined their policy. Instead of regarding it as { non-partisan issue of great national import they viewed it as a case for the poitica court involving the trial of President Will son rather than the treaty itself. As skilfu lawyers they have addressed themselves tC the consideration of the issue from that standpoint. All of their arguments are the pleadings of counsel seeking a verdict fOl his client regardless of the justice of the cause rather than the impartial and imper sOnal proceedings that should govern the consideration of an issue so highly import ant to not only America but all the world They seek to get before the public, not the whole truth, as Mir. McCumber openly ad mits, or rather charges, but only such DOT tions and half truths as will substantiatt their arguments when the whole trutl would put an entirely different construc tion on the matter Such is the course marked by the most intense bitterness to- ward Mir. Wilson, that has been followed by the majority, or republican senators, after thpv were unable to SWerVe the leaders iron their deliberately selected policy, instead