The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-15
PROMPT ACTION ON
 TREATY, IS BASIS
 OF COX ARGUMENT
tContinued from Page One)

being dishonest about their own reser- vations. and of insisting upon them in the senatorial discussion only to, aban- don them in their party convention.
 The issue which governor Cox seeks to raise Is that the republican proposai of substitute for the League or Na- tios is vague and leads to delay Ins republicans offer, he says, is really nothing more definite than the an nouncement of hope that an entlrely new arrangement may be made Tn the world affairs, What method they have in mind, if it is concretely in any ones mind. the people do not know. No un- preiudiced person, says Governor CoA' can deny that the consequence or apan- doning the league and attempting an entirely new project will be prolonged delay If the people want the issue settled quickly and settled in a way that by general agreement is likely to prevent future wars, while at the same time holding our own interests free from peril Governor Cox invites them to vote for the democratic ticket.
 PUT AN END TO DELAY
 That is the line of his appeal to the court. He assumes that the public IS familiar with the League or Nauohs' that negotiations have gone so far 1or- ward that if the country is to have any device to reduce the chances or war, ii is the most feasible device; that II can be adopted with the least delay, and that it can be made free from all peril to national interests. Let us put an end to all delay and discussion and accpet the league properly safeguarded, is what the candidate says in effect The republicans offer you only delay and retard the project.
 Governor Cox says all this in effect, but does not say it directly. He labors under the difficulty of trying not to make too explicit the differences be- tween himself and President Wilson. He is trying to hold his party together and carry it along within programme of reasonable compromises to obtain quick ratification for the treaty.
 This difficulty robs his speech Of deh- niteness His presentation of the treaty issue lacks punch. It is that of man feeling his way to more advanced ground He is testing out his public and waiting for his response Tn the press and on the stump If he can get the country with him for prompt ratifica- tion of the league properly safeguarded. ha would be likely to become more deh- mite but he is handicapped by the posi- ton of the Wilson wing of the party in favor of the league virtually as it stands.
 The governor IS SufrOunOeQ Dy duNiSOTs who feel that the republican party sur. rendered a great advantage upon the league issue when it failed to indorse the league reservations in its Chicago platform. They hold that he should profit by their error and advance to occupy the position they abandoned. Their arguments are being constantly pressed upon him and may be forced to take a position similar to Bryan's-namely, that quick ratification of the league is of greater importance than the exact nature of the reservations made for it.
 In the speech here today and in the speech of acceptance, he kept the way open to this position. His emphasis is all upon the need of league and the desirability of it's prompt adoption. Or the importance of taking it without change, as Wilson brought it from Paris he is discreetly silent
 VAGUE AND INDECISIVE
 While Governor Cox is trying to please hoth factions of the democratic party those who favor the league as it was negotiated by the president and those who think it very good politics to ad vocate it's acceptance, if necessary ever with the Lodge reservations. his presenta ton of this issue is likely to be vague and indecisive It was so today. ana drew from his auditors only the re- sponse which party gives to rec ornized party issue.
 So far, the people who have heard hin have not risen to his plea for the league They feel in it neither the moral flavor of wilson's appeal for the covenant al an inspired document. nor the practice sanse If a perfectly definite compromist