Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-14
Is There No Honor
In Politics
New York World

at would be unkind of me to comment
ON poor Taft" sneers Senator hiram
.Jshnson. Taft can save his face so long
as he doesn't save his league :,
Unfortunately for Mr.. Taft he hinsch
opencd the way for this insult. 1T - ne
who has made it possible for men IKE
Johnson who are unquailhediy opposed
to the League of Nations To say that IN
his s,lpport of Harding he is only trying
10 save his face. That applies not merely
to Mr.. Taft but to Mr.. Hughes and Mr..
Wickersham and MIR. Hoover and al the
Renublicans %yho have champloncd the
League of Nations Who can believe III
their good foith when they attribute to
Senator Harding opinions which the candi-
date himself publicly repudlatcs. and when
thev ask the voters To believe that II
Harding is elected hc will do what he
publicly avows he will not dol
There is an issue in this that Is even
moro fundamental than the League oi
Nations the issue of political integrity
and noliticol morality in the United States.
Mr. Hoover. with the zeal OF new con-
vert 10 Old-Guarl Rcp'rhhcansm, has
been talking about thcsupTeme Importance
of marty responsibility; but how can there
be partv responsibility when onc-haii ol
marty promises that If returned to power
It will do ono thing and the other nan
PROMISES that it viii do the other, while
the candidate for President alternately
arrccs with ono side ami then the othcf
Senator Harding IS now with the john
sons and the Borahs and IN tavor OF out
r;ght rejection oi the covenant of tho
league: but Mr.. Taft insists that TINS
means he is in favor Of the league with
the Lodge reservations, winch Mr, lNi
himself once opposed. There can he no
politicai honesty. there can be no political
integrity, there can hc no party r.
sponsibllity, on such tcrWs
mo NorId is not asklug Mr.. Taft and
Nr. Hughes and Mr. Hoover and ar.
Wickorsharn and their assocIates to follow
thc courageous example of Herbert Par
sons. Who has repudiatcd Harding and
declared himself in favor of Cox. That IS
moro than can reasonably hc expected Of
mon who have held tho highest places ~
tho Republican party But VIC have 2
r,cb, to cNpcct from them little of the
courage that bittcr-cnder~ like Senator
johnson and Senator Borah have shown.
Those rhen have driven Harding over 90
choir side because he knew that they
would make good their threats and get out
of tho campaign unless he yielded. Mr.
Taft and the Republican, advocates Il
The league have obtained no guarantees
but continue 10 plcdgo the cardldate 20 2
policv that he hlmscf has rejected
How can therc ne any respect for pohtl-
I cal life III tho United States on that bass
1 There is to be no party prlnclpic - far ~
Republicans are conccrF cd, there IS t. II
+ no party policy. there is t. n no party
/ conscience. Convictiors arc to he rcgard-
/ Cd a. an embarrassment, and nothing Is K
count except power and patronage. Tins
4 Is tho negation # party responsibility
ard tho mon who aTc engaged in Il are II
effect registering their opinion that nothing
really matters IH government except tn
1 offices. Everything cls can rc settle,
/ later. when tic country will hc told hy tn
/ high priests of the party what Tie elcc
tioa actually meant
If conscience Is a. play any part Il
politics Il is plainly tho duty If mc1 Tx
/ Mr.. Taft not a. acqUIcscc mcckiN NJ TN
I! banaGties and tic cv;-sIoEs q q candidate
like Harding. but to make their own con
victiors ana their OWL prirclilcs vita
force III the camp4ign. If they cannot q
that. they can 81 least emulate tie q
+ annie Of Flihu Root, who keeps siler
and refuses to undcrwrite Harding
crooked and devious speeches