The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-03
By Associated Press

!today;
 The democratic party, in it's national convention now assembled, sends greet ings to the President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson. and halls with patriotic pride the great achievements for country and the world wrought by democratic administration under his leadership.
 It safutes the mighty people of this great republic, emerging with imperish- able honor from the severe tests ana srievous strains of the most tragic war ln history having earned the plaudits and the gratitude of all free nations.
 1t declares its adherence to the fun damehtal progressive principles of so- cial economic and industrial justice and advance, and purposes to resume the great work of translating these princi- ples into effective laws begun and car Tied far by the democratic administra tion, and interrupted only when the war clamed all the national energies for the single task of victory
 LEAGUE OF NATIONS
 The Ne.nOcrauc party favors the League of Nations as the surest, if not the only practicable means of maintain ing the permanent peace of the world, and terminating the insufferable burden of great military and naval establish. ments. It was for this that America broke away from traditional isolation and spent her blood and treasure to crush a colossal scheme of conquest It Was upon this basis that the President of the United States, in prearrangement With our allies, consented to a suspen- sion of hostilities against the imperial German government; the armistice was granted and a treaty of peace enegoti- ated upon the definite assurance to Ger many as well as to the powers ptted against Germany. that "a general asso- citation of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of af- 'fording mutual guarantees of political Independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.' Hence we not only congratulate the President on the vision manifested and the vigor exhibited in the prosecution of the war, but we felicitate him and his associates on the exceptional achievements at Paris involved in the adoption of league and treaty so near akin to previously ex- pressed American ideals and so intimate 1y related to the aspirations of civilized peoples everywhere.
 We commend the President for his courage and his high conception of good faith in steadfastly standing for the COW enant agreed to by all the associated and allied nations at war with Germany and we condemn the republican Senate for it's Tefusal to ratify the treaty merely be- 
 statesmanship, thus interposing partisan envy and personal hatred in the way of the peace and renewed prosperity of the world
 By every accepted standard of inter national morality the President is jus- tified in asserting that the honor of the country is involved in this business, and we point to the accusing fact that before dit was determined to initiate political an- tagonism to the treaty the now repub- lican chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee himself publicly pro- claimed that any proposition for a sep Rrate peace with Germany. such as he and his party associates thereafter re- ported to the Senate, would make us guilty of the blaclSest crime"
 On May 15, last, the Knox substitute for the Versailles treaty was passed by fhe republican Senate; and this con vention can contrve no more fitting characterization of it's obliquity than that made in the Forum Magazine of December, 1918, by Henry Cabot Lodge, when he said
 If we send our armies and young men abroad to be killed and wounded in northern France and Flanders, with no with such an intention, was crime which nothing can justify.'
 The intent of Congress and the intent of the President was that there could be no peace until we could create sit nation where no such war as this could recurr. We cannot make peace except in company with our allies It would brand us with everlasting dishonor and bring ruin to us also if we undertook to make a separate peace
 Thus to that which MT. Lodge in saner moments considered "the backest crime he and his party in madness sought to give the sanctity of law; that which eighteen months ago was of everlasting siishonor'' the republican party and it's candidates today accept as the essence of faith.
 We indorse the Presidents view of our International obligations and his firm stand against reservations, designed to cut to pieces the vital provisions of the Versailles treaty and we commend the democrats in Congress for voting against resolutions for separate peace which would disgrace the nation. We advocate the immediate ratification of the treaty without reservations which would im- pair it's essential integrity; but do not oppose the acceptance of any reserva- lions making clearer or more specific fhe obligations of the United States to the league associates. Only by doing this may we retrieve the reputation of this nation among the powers of the earth and recover the moral leadership which President Wilson won and which republican politicians at Washington sac fificed. Only by doing this may we hope 10 aid effectively, in the restoration of order throughout the world and to take the place which we should assume in the Front rank of spiritual, commercial and Industrial advancement.
 We reject utterly vain, if not vi- oious, the republican assumption that Ratification of the treaty and member Uahip in the League of Nations would in hny way impair the integrity or inde- bendence of our country. The fact that khe covenant has been entered into by twenty-nine nations, all as jealous of kheir independence as we are of ours. is n sufficient refutation of such charge. The President repeatedly has declared and this convention reaffirms it, that all bur duties and obligations as a member of the league must be fulfilled in strict confornity with the constitution of the limited States, embodied in which is the Fundamental requirement. of declaratory action by the Congress before this na- tion may become participant in any war.
 CONDUCT OF THE WAR
 During the war President Wilson ex- Aibited the very broadest conception oi liberal Americansm. In his conduct oi <1e war, as in the general administration bf his high office, there was no sem alance of partisan bias. He invited tt Washington as his councillors and coad tutors hundreds of the most prominent and pronounced republicans in the coun . fry. To these he committed responsi hilities of the gravest import, and mos confidential nature. Many of them had i,h ar rca of vital activities of the govern.