The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-07

peace table, they declared their oppo-
sition to it Before the treaty was
submitted to the senate in the manner
I the constitution provides, they violat-
ed every custom and every considera-
tion of decency by presenting copy
of the document, procured unblushing-
tly from enemy hands, and passed it
into the printed record OF senatorial
proceedings. From that hour dated
the enterprise of throwing the whole
subject into technical discussion, in
order that the public might be con-
fused The plan has never changed
in its objective, but the method has.
At the outset there was the careful in
/ sistence that there was no desire to
| interfere with the principle evolved
and formalized at Versailles. Later,
! 1t was the form and not the substance
that professedly inspired attack. But
tpretense was futile when proposals
! later came forth that clearly emascu-
lated the basic principle of the whole
! peace plan. It is not necessary to
recall the details of the controversy
IN the senate. Senator Lodge finally
crysf allied his ideas into what were
kass ssssn as the lodge reservations, and
NV ora cofEress adjourned these reser-
ss1aassas held the ayippert Of the So
ssa1ied regular republican leaders,
Esg From that time the processes have
been interesting. Political expediency
| I'm it's truest sense Idwarfed every
l,1snsideration either Of the public IN
tarcst or Of the maintenance OF the
Honor of great political party. The
Exclusive question was how 10
l avoid rupture in the republican or
| Eanization. The country received with
Interest, to say the least, the an
nouncement from Chicago, where The
Irrational convention was assembled.
itthat platform plank dealing with
1.-THE subject of world peace, had been
ndrawn, leaving out the Lodge reser-
Evations, and yet remaining agreeable
( to all interests, meaning thereby tie
! iIa,dge reservationists, the mild re-
servationists and the group OF re-
Dnblican senator's that openly op-
p,sed the League of Nations in aay
/ form.
ArtfuIly Phrased.
AS the platform made no definite
commital of policy and was, in fact. so
! artfully phrased as to make almost
anv deduction possible, it passed
through the convention with practical
4 unamimity. Senator Johnson, how
ever. whose position has been con-
!. gistent and whose opposition to the
leaguet in any shape is well known,
withheld his support OF the conven-
I .ion's choice until the candidate had
stated the meaning of the platform
nolicy that would be his, if elected.
The republican candidate has spo'
ken and his utterance calls forth the
| following approval from Senator
| Johnson:
yesterday in his speech of accept
ance Senator Harding unequivocaliy
took his stand upon the paramount
issue in this compaign-the League
of Nations. The republican party
stands committed by its platform lts
standard-bearer has now accentuateu
that platform. There can be no misun'
,derstanding his words.
Senator Harding, as candlaate OIL
] the party, and Senator Johnson are
as one on this question, and, as the
latter expresses it, the republican
marty IS committed both by platform
i in the abstract and by its candidate
4 in specification The threatened re-
4 wolf among leaders of the party is
4 ayerted. but the minority position as
expressed in the senate prevails as
(, that of the party. In short, princlple'
as ayowed in support of the Lodge
reservations, or of the so-ca!led mlla
reservations, has been surrendered
To expediency.
Senator Harding makes this ne"
pledge of policy In behalf OF ms
party: - os.oo+
q promise you formal and eitect
\ i've peace SO quickly as repupncan
! nrress can pass its declaration 1oi
> republican executive to sign.
! Tb,s means but one thing-a sepa
rate peace with Germany!
| This would be the most d1sheare