Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-06-11
EKPEDIENCY REPLACES PRINCIPLE.

4 EKPEDIENCY REPLACES PRINCIPLE.
The republican platform might well be called the damnaton
of democracy Throughout the wearsome appeal to prejudice
and partsanship the fusome seaudation and Pecksnan
professions of p the campaign patudes and desueudes
runs the anvil chorus of denuncaon of the administration the
consummation of all that is evil
The platform is certainly not instrument to point to with
pride Neither it be viewed with much alarm Where there
lis vital principle at stake there lack of principle the
wobby stradde Where the platform is committa it is reaction
in tendency and reflects the viewpoint of the Old Guard and
big business rather than the aspirations of the tong
1T might well have been written of years ago. far
world vision and the changed outlook of humanity concerned
ut belongs to an era that is passing.
The administration is assaed in the platform for its unpre
paredness for warand the winning of the ignored 1t is
attacked for its unpeparness for peace yet the republicans
have been full control of since the and refused
enact the peace legislation asked by the president and
demanded in the platform mandate for Armenia is repudat-
led and scoed but mandate for Mexico favored It combines
maximum of destructive criticism with minimum of constructive
suggestion
however the subject of the League Nations that the
platform attempts to face both waysrepudatng the League
Nations and the treaty yet favorng treaty
ate world courts to paceaer the of the
Hague tribunal which worked effectively in preventing the
world One must read the PLATFORM however, appreciate
the stand and the peace treaty
of
founded upon no principle and directed by definite conceptions
totns other nations with the result that after period
stands discreded
generous foreign policy founded upon definite
moral and political principles characterized by
protection the life liberty
careful to manifest lust regard for the rights Of other n
Ions observance Of onr @ % % b n e sGraPu :
essential
free develop civilization the
the side Of justice and right should occasion require
serve rS reeussp esses he D' To stands for among the nations
must be based upon
international justice and must provide methods which
rule of public right by the development
pledged to do and insist upon what just and fair exercise their
lluenee and power for the prevention OF war
Independence without dpvng
of the right determine
without involving them
makers In multitude of quarre the merits of which they unable
president at Paris failed sgay to accom-
psh this and contains
roversy among nations which it proposed to
That covenant repudaed wholly
and Jefferson and Monroe all
generations past in favor of international arbitration
Of the president upon having his own way
without any change ana without regard to the opinions Of majority of the
dents demand that the treaty should be ratified without modification
sciences and their ohs according their Judgment against the treaty
submit the command
authority and the responsibility under the constitution there
approve conduct
honor their fidelity And pledge the republican,
shall meet the full duty Of America to civilization and humanity ae
people exercise this Judgment justice
Treaty Versailles repudiaed and the action of the
republican senator's in killing the treaty commended In this
sect Johnson and the bitter enders have the victory the
party tail has wagged the party dog and the republican party
stands committed absolutely against the League of Nations
Lodges cloak of reservations under which the treaty
nated is dropped having served its purpose AS substitute
To the league treaties like those concluded by Bryan
proposed and international courts to adudcate claims suggested
hoped thus retain the votes of favorable to League
of Nations The frantic desire for harmony has led to the
of principle and the substitution of political expd
ency the pillar of fire guide the republican party from the
iobess wilderness unto the promised pecounter