Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-05-11
MIR. WILSON'S OREGON TELEGRAM


President Wilson has wired the democrats of
Oregon to stand four-square for the ratification OF
the League of Nations covenant without reserva-
tons as proposed by the senate.
The Journal is in sympathy with the idea of
league of nations. 1t is also in sympathy with Mr..
wilson's lofty ideals to the duty of America To-
ward the rest of the world. We can approve all
that he says as to our duty except his inference that
it is duty to do it the way he wants 1t done IN
utter disregard of the views of the senate.
The fundamental thing about American in
situations is that have substituted a government
'by laws for the old form of a government "by
persons" The latter was the idea of monarchists.
We substituted a fundamental law, which We call
the constitution, for the old form of the command
of one person. That adhere to our constltu-
tional form and make whatever changes desire
in the orderly prescribed in that constitu-
ton, is fundamental to our national safety.
The makers of that constitution saw the danger
of delegating too much power to any one man. He
might be over ambitious unpatrlouc or uhWlse'
This must be guarded against
o.They realized that our foreign relations were
very complex involving many. angles, with astutc
diplomats of other nations seeking to take an ad-
vantage of us. They, accordingly said that any
permanent policy involving a written agreement
called a treaty, could only be made by and with
the consent and advice" of the senate These round
America
decided that the advice and consent should be
oiyen bv n two-thirds majority. They wanted the
wisdom of the course to be pursued to be so appa-
rent that the minds of at least two-thirds OF our
chosen representatives in the senate would be moved
to agree. This was a wise precaution-wise beyond
expression.
I'm the league matter Mr.. Wilson demands that
tAtsI two thirds of our major statesmen abandon
their Judgment for his. They would be traitors 10
hnnp
indement they may have. Duty to us demands that
they use their best wisdom
Ills appeal to the public is unwise This prob
lem is too complex for the average voter to have
Judgment upon it that is worth while. Who of us
can know whether Mr., Wilson is right, or the over
wheiming judgment of the senate is right? We
prefer to trust sixty selected men who make a bust
ness of such matters to the wisdom of any one man
America safer to stand by her established system
and carefully check the ambitions of any one man
to be dictator
This appeal to the country is an effort to coerce
the Judgment of the senate. We should all want
fInbiased and uncoerced decision from the senate
Further, the issue cannot be drawn in cam
paign Many other issues will be there to sway
voters Party loyalty is there to make men ignore
the issue and vote for the party. three-cornerec
fight is there. Mr. Wilson wants no reservations
The senate majority wants reservations The ire
concilabes want no league There is no way 10 draw
the lines so as to get clean decision if We
were capable of making it.
1t simply will not do. Mr.. wilson's egotism ant
unyieding temperament has led him astray. the
American people must pin their faith to their con
stttutiona forms There lies safety.
Because more than two-thirds Of the senate
regard the so-called Lodge reservations necessary
we accept their judgment the most dependable
guide we can have.
The sefshness of the irreconcbles make nc
appeal to us. We to join Europe any basis
which those we have ntrusted with the duty of de-
cison deem safe.