Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-08


ident on the vision manifested and the
vigor exhibited in the prosecution of the
war; but we felicitate him and his associ .
ates on the exceptional achievements at
Paris involved in the adoption of a league
and treaty So near akin to previously ex-
pressed American ideals and so intimate
" related to the aspirations Of civilized
pcopes everywhere.
We recommend tho President for his
courdse ard his high conception of good
faith i1 steadfastiy standing for the COW
cnant agreed to by all the associated and
allied nations at war with Germany. and
we condemn the Republican Senate for
it's refusal to rtt;fy the treaty merely
because it was the product of Democratic
state smarship thus 'ntcrposing partisan
envy and personal hatred in the way Of
the peace and removed prosperity of the
world
BY every accepted standard of interna-
tional morality the President Is justified
In asserting that Tho honor of the coun
try is involved in this business, and VIC
point tn the accusing fact that before /.
was determined 70 initiate poitica. an:ag-
onisyn 20 the treaty. the now Republican
chairman of the 81 aate Foreign Relations
Com,s.tteo himself publicly proclaimed
tina, any proposition for n separate peace
with Germany, such as he md his party
associates thereafter reported to the SCI
ate. would make uG guilty Of the black
est crime"
On May - the last of tee Knox suosti-
tutc for the Versailles treaty was passed
Ivy tho Republican Sana.e. ard this con.
vention can coCtrive no more fitting cnar-
7cte~izas,o1 Of its colloouy than that made
in the Forum magazine of December, 1915
by Henry Cabot L"dr', when he said
IF VIC send oar armies and young mer
abroad to hc killed and wounded in north.
ern Franco and Flanders with no result
but this. our entrance into war with such
an intention was q crime which nothing
can justify"
The inten. of Congress and the intent
of the President was that there could ce
no peace until we could create a situa.
ton where no such war as this could recur
We cannot make peace EXCEPT in com.
pany with our allies. 1t would brand us
with everlasting dishonor and bring ruiz
to us also il we undertook to make a
sepa rate peace.
Thus to that which MIR. Lodge. in saner
moments, considered the blacklist crime
give the sancity Of law; that which /,
months ago was of everlasting dishonor'
the Republican Party and its candidate.
to-day accept as the essence of faith.
We endorse the Presidents view of ouI
international obligations and his firm
stand against reservations designed II
cut TO pieces tho vital provisions of the
Versailles treaty and we recommend til,
Democrats in Congress for voting reso
lutions for separate peace which would
disgrace the nation. We advocate tn,
immediate ratification Of tho treaty with
out reservations which would impair IL
essential integrity; but do not oppose tn
acceptance of any reservations maxim,
clearer or more specific the obligations
of the United States on the League associ
ates. Only by doing this may we retriev
the reputation of this nation among tn
powers of the earth and recover the mora
leadership which President Wilson VOL
and which Republican politicians at Wash
| ington sacrificed. Only by doing this ma,
We hone TO aid effectively in the restora
| ton of order throughout the world am
| to take the place which we should assum
| in the front rank of spiritual, CONNER
cial and industrial advancement.
| We reject as utterly vain, If not vici
Gus, the Republican assumption that IA
| tification of the treaty and membership
4
way impair the istegrity or independence
of our country. The fact that the GOV
enant has been entered into by 20 nation
all as jealous of their independence as W
are of ours, is a sufficient refutaton O
| such charges. The President repeated
| has declared. and this convention reaffirm
| that all our duties and obligations as
| member of the league must be fulfilled i
strict conformity with the constitution c
| the United States. embodied in which
the fundamental requirement of declare
| tory action by the Congress before thi
nation may become a participant in an
war.
| HIGH COST OF LIVING
The high cost of living and the depreca
| ton of bond values in this country ar
| primarily due to war itself. to the nee
| essaIy governmental expenditures for tn
destructive purposes of war, to privat
extravaganza, to the world shortage c
capital to the imitation of foreign cui
rencies and credits and in large degre
| to constituencies profteering.
| The Republican Party is responsible fc
the failure to restore peace and peac
conditions in Europe, which is a prir
| ciple cause of post-armistice inaction III
| world over. II has denied the deman
| OF the President for necessary legislatio
to deaf with secondary and local cause
THE sound policies pursued by the treasur
| and the federal reserve system have lin
ited in this country, though they coul
not prevent the inaction which wa, worl
wide Elected upon specific promises
curtail public expenditures and to brin
the country back TO a status OF effecti,
economy. the Republican Party in Con
Gress wasted time and energy for MOI
than n year ia vain and eXtravagaln IL
!. vcstiSations costing the tax payers gre;
sums Of money, while revealing nothin
beyond the incapacity of Republican pol
ticians to cope with tho problems D.
manding that the President. from h
/, place at the pcac" table, call ths Col
gress into extraordinary session for IL,
perativa purposes of reaijustmrn Il
Congress when convened spent T. month
in partisan pursuits. falling to repeal
single war statute which harassed bus
ness or TO initiare a single construct,
measure to help business. It busted /
self making a prediction record of p-
tended thrift, havir< not one particle
substantial existence in fact 1t ragt
against profiteers and the high cost
living without enacting single statu
to make tho former afraid of doing a sing
act 10 bring the latter within limita ton
The simple truth IS that the high co
of LIVING can only he remedieG by il
creased production, strict government
economy and relentless pursuit of tho
who take advantage of postwar cond
lions and are demanding and receiyir
Outrageous profits. We pledge the Den
, ocratic Party to a policy of strict econon
in government expenditures and TO ensc
: ment and enforcement of such egislatjc