Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-29

cause his nomination by either party.
Why?
Because he has convictions which
make him suspect.
Two years ago he had the conviction
the President should have a Democratic
Congress to get the peace the country
wanted.
He was right. as the mess we are in
over the treaty indicates.
Had Mr.. Wilson had Congress he
would not have had his way entirely
but he would have got through the treaty
with reservations that merely inter
preted it. For this conviction the Re
publicans will have none Of Mr.. Hoover.
THE Democrats need very badly {
L candidate who can win.
In this emergency it was thought that
they would turn to Mr.. Hoover.
But again Mr.. Hoover has a convic
tion. namely. that rather than have
peace unnccomplished the President
ought to have taken the treaty with the
Lodge reservations.
For this conviction the Democrats will
have none Of Mr.. Hoover.
IL is the habit of having convictions
that makes Mr.. Hoover so eminently fiji
for the presidency. and it is precisely
this habit which makes his nomination
nearly impossible.
We must make another black mark
against our political system.
We make public life unattractive to
men Of character and solid parts.
We have a most elaborate system for
keeping him out of public life when he
presents himself for it.
And IL he does get in. we put him in
the presidency and thus make him un :
available for public uses for more, at
the most than eight years.
A Nd why not compulsory schoo
"A spirit?
4 normal school in Kansas has re =
sorted to force to procure loyalty and
enthusiasm, ducking in lake the stu
dents and professors who failed to ap-
pear early when called upon to build a
running track.
We have had compulsory patriotism
during the war.
The man who did not subscribe TO
Liberty Bonds, in some small communi =
ties. was ducked in pond or ridden on
a rail
Everywhere there il belief in force
to make people think along certain lines
or respond to certain enthusiasms.
Men are running for the presidential
nomination today with great support
because they embody the idea II elected
they will be the boys to put the punch
in Americanism.
Why, then. should not the schoolboys
at pep" meeting resolve to throw in
a pond any one who showed weakness
in school spirit?
1t is a much shorter and simpler way
than working up enthusiasm through or =
ganized cheering, and besides, more in
accord with the spirit of the moment.
q q q
MIR. SPEAKER SWEET, Of the New
1y4 York Assembly, believes in fore,
to effect loyalty.
He has been holding a ''pep' meet
ing up in his Legislature and is on the
point Of expelling five Socialist members
because. like the Kansas schoolboys and
professors ducked in the pond, they were
a little slow in responding to Mr.,
Sweets loud calls for patriotism.
MIR. Sweet has decided. by way Of
| justification, that Socialists favor revo-
| luton.
No one will favor resolution long.
| Even the revOlutionists will be bOrej
to death Of their word and ashamed Of
the thing now that Attorney Genera
Palmer. Speaker Sweet, Senator POin
dexter. General Wood and n hundred
others have dinned it into the ears OF
the public, picking it up when the EN-
| ployers of labor laid it down after using
it effectively while it was novel in curb
ing the plans Of radical unionism.
! Revolution: II the Socialists Intend
revolution. they have been intending il
for half century without getting any
where.
Why worry?
q q q
THE French have gone in for com
l. pulsory sport.
In their army the playing of football
is henceforth TO be required of all. ant
TO indicate what is coming a French
army football team has just beaten Q
crack English football team.
This does not threaten the supremacy
of our young college gladiatOrs, for the
football the French play and the foot
ball the American college students play
are two different things.
We might convert the zeal for com
pulsion in this country to football. anC
require all students to play football.
Sport practiCcd by few, as at present
does little good
The French leave ideas free and com
pei football.
II we must compel something we nigh
initiate the French for while.
q q q
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