Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-07

for their opposition, would envelop our
country, when, ms matter of truth, the
subject of League of Nations has claimed
the best thought of America for years,
and tho league to Enforce peace was pre-
sided over by SO distinguished Repub-
lican as ex-President Taft, who, before
audiences in every section advocated the
principle and the plan of the present
league. They charge experimentation,
when we have ms historical precedent the
Monroe Doctrine, which is the very es-
sence of Article X of the Versailles cove
nant. Skeptics viewed Monroe's man.
date with alarm, predicting recurrent
wars in defense of Central and South
alleged we need not be. And yet not n shot
has been fired in almost one hundred
years in preserving sovereign rights on
this hemisphere. They hypocritically
claim that the League of Nations will
result in our boys being drawn into mill
tary service, but they fail to realize that
every high school youngster in the land
knows that no treaty can override our
Constitution, which reserves to Congress,
and to Congress alone, the power TO de-
clare war. They preach Americanism
with a meaning of their own invention,
and artfully appeal to a selfish and pro-
vincial spirit, forgetting that Lincoln
fought a war over the purely moral ques-
tion of slavery, and that Mckinley broke
the fetters of our boundary lines, spoke
the freedom of Cuba, and carried the
torch of American idealism TO the be-
nighted Philippines. They lose memory
of Garfield's prophecy that America,
under the blessings of God-given OPP
portunity, would by her moral leadership
and cooperation become Messiah
among the nations of the earth.
SUPREME ISSUES OF CENTURY.
These are fateful times. Organized
government has a definite duty all over
the world The house of civilization is
to be put in order. The supreme issue of
the century is before us and the nation
that halts and delays is playing with
fire. The finest impulses of humanity,
rising above national lines, merely seek
TO make another horrible war impossible.
Under the old order of international
anarchy war came overnight, and the
world was on fire before we know it, II
sickens our senses to think Of another
We saw one conflict into which modern
science brought new forms OF destruction
in great guns, submarines airships, and
poison gases IL is no secret that our
chemists had perfected, when the con-
test came to n precipitate close, gases so
deadly that whole cities could be wiped
out, armies destroyed, and the crews of
battleships smothered The public prints
are filed with the opinions of military men
that in future wars the method, more effec-
tive than gases or bombs will be the en-
ployment of the germs of diseases, car
rying pestilence and destruction. Anv
nation prepared under these conditions,
as Germany was equipped in 1914, could
conquer the world in year
II is planned now to make this inn
possible. A definite plan has been agreed
upon. The League of Nations is in opera
tion. A very important work, under its
control, Just completed, was participated
in by the Hon Elihu Root, Secretary of
State under the Roosevelt administra-
tlon. At meeting of the council of the
League of Nations, February ii. an or
gsnizing committee of twelve of the most
eminent lurlsts in the world was Sc
lected. The duty Of this group was to
devise plan for the establishment Of a
perma nent court of international JUS
tice, as branch of the league. This as
signment has been concluded bv unani-
NOUS action. This augurs we'll for world
progress. The question is whether we
shall or shall not join in this practical and
humane movement. President Wilson, as
our representative at the peace table, en-
tered the league IN our name in so far as
the executive authority permitted. Sena-
tor Harding, as the Republican cand-
date tor the Presidency, proposes In plain
words that we remain out Of il. As the
Democratic candidate, | favor going in.
Let us analyze Senator Hardings plan of
making German-American peace, and
then calling for new relationship among
nations, assuming for the purpose Of
argument only, that the pertidious hand
that dealt with Germany would possess
the power or influence 10 draw twenty
nine nations away from a plan already
at work, and induce them to retraee-
every step and make new beginning.
This would entail our appointing another
commission to assemble with those Sc
lected by the other powers. With the
Versailles instrument discarded, the whole
subject OF partitions and divisions of
on new lines would be reopened.
The difficulties in his regard, as any fair
mind appreciates would be greater than
they were at the peace session, and we
must not attempt TO convince ourselves
that they did not try the genius, patience,
and diplomacy Of statesmen at that time.
History VIII say that great as was the
Allied triumph in war, no less victory
was achieved at the peace table. The
Republican proposal means dishonor,
world confusion and delay. 1t would keep
is In permanent company with Ger
many, Russia, Turkey and Mexico. 1t
would entail, in the ultimate, more real
injury than the war itself The Demo |
,ratic position on the question, as ex-
pressed in the platform, is
I'VE advocate immediate ratification |
If the Treaty without reservations which |
would impair its essential integrity, but |
10 not oppose the acceptance of any |
making clearer or more |
pecific the obligations of the United |
states to the League associates"
PEACE TREATY AND LEAGUE
The first duty of the new admins
ration clearly VIII be the ratification of |
he Treaty. The matter should be ap-
,roached without thought of the bitter
less of the past The public verdict will |
AVE been rendered, and / am confident
hat the friends of world peace as il will
,e promoted by the League, will have
u numbers the constitutional requisite
o favorable senatorial action. The cap
ious may say that our platform reference
o reservations is vague, and indefinite
is meaning In brief, is that we shall state
,ur Interpretation of the covenant as a
natter of good faith 10 our associates and
g a precaution against any misunder-
tanding in the future. The point is, that
fter the people shall have spoken, the
league will be in the hands Of its friends
N the Senate and n safe index as IN what