El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-18
WILSON KEEPS
HIS HANDS OFF


tDomNnueu IRON Na-Ee L.
suggests the arbitrary influences that
dictated the doctrines Of those two
eminent persons
Paramount Issue
Every charge directed against me
and my administration is obviously
designed to becloud and negative the
paramount issue confronting the
American people, to befog their sense
Of responsibility and make violation
Of the obligations they have assumed
to be of small consequence
Il sincerely believe that the at
tempt Of the Republican party to win
the sanction Of the American people
for its attempted evasion OF these OBJ
LEGATIONS will be decisively rebuked-
with one thing I am fully salts
fied-this is that the Republican
lparty in its platform has Joined. me
in the suggestion made in my letter
to the guests at the Jackson day
dinner in Washington IN January
last In that letter expressed the
hope that sincere attempt would
be made to determine the attitude OF
the American people on the league OF
nations by the resort TO the genuine
" Democratic process OF the refer
endum-
"Of course. I have no way Of an
ticipating the probable trend OF sen
timent that VIII be expressed IN the
| Democratic national convention at
san Fransico or forecasting the uli-
mate conclusions Of that body But /
] have every confidence that the dele
gates who will sit in that convention
will repeat the challenge 1 issued to
I the Republican party and express
I their readiness TO permit the people
] 10 decide between the vague and am
l biguous declarations by the Repub-
I licans and a positive and definite ex-
/ preston Of opinion by the Democratic
party. .,-
Z party may do, hope that its conven-
I ton at san Francisco viii say just
what it means on every issue and that
! il viii not resort either to ambiguity
I or evasion in doing So
Resenss Republican Platform
ssThfs thing (the league Of nntiOnsl
lies too deep 10 permit of any poll
teal sIzuldugEery, any attempt to side
step or evade moral and humanitarian
responsibilities much too solemn to
treat 50 lightly or ignore
4 should prefer at this time not to
discuss partisan politics or to ven
ture any prediction as to the prob
able attitude that the Democratic
convention viii take on any subject
Il sincerely believe, however, that
the vast majority Of gentlemen VINO
will sit IN the san Francisco eOnven-
ton Will appreciate the necessity and
permanent value Of keeping the word
that America has given TO the rest Of
the world.
The thinly yelled rejection Of the
principle Of the league OF nations by
the Chicago convention viii not fool
anyone. The attitude Of senator Lodge
and that Of senator Johnson differ
only in degree. Both are really op-
posed TO IL in any form One Of these
gentlemen is disingenuous and eva
sive and the other canGidly hostile"
1t must be a trifles disconcert-
ing 10 some Republicans, he added,
TO have their party propose now to
repudiate that which was approved
few years ago by some OF their most
important leaders.
Il an as confident today as I was
when / returned from Paris finally in
July last that the people Of not only
IN favor OF the league Of nationsi that
they would feel a greater sense OF Sc
curIry If its benetlLs should be guar
anteeds that they would not approve,
with their votes, OF the policy Of the
Republican party which IS Wholly pO-
litIcaI IN intent and purpose. to deny
them the protection that the league
OF nations assures
Congress Denounced
The Republican congressional pol
ICY" he added, was more slgnifi-
cant for EVASION OF joint responsible
ity in graphing with the problems
that confront the country than for
any moral appreciation OF the respon-
sibility itself.
'-fteyubncan leaders in congress
cried aloud for the repeal OF some
Of the measures which they wen
know protected the people from more
serious evils than they would have I
the country know.
the Lever food control act has /
proved 70 be one Of the most effec- I
tive agencies IN preventing depreua- I
tons al the expense OF the people /
than almost any otner measure now I
IN operation Inc time for repeating I
II is not yet
-Repubucans chorused a ponderous /
note OF protest against the aumlnis- !
trarlon enforcement OF the espionage /
act and some otner measures that |
were Of vital necessity during the /
war. Yet 1 defy the republicans 10 4
prove that the power given thesgov- I
eminent during the war has ever /
Deen unjusrly used against the peo-
pie; that single clLIzen has been i
unwarrantly punished Tor any act OF 1
or dIsloyalIy against the /
naLoni tnat any man mas Ueen pun
ished for expressing his opinion
He VIII Prove It
II have read charges TO the con-
trary, but in each instance have had 4
the matter thoroughly looked into 1
and am in pOsIrion 10 contest the nc
euraey OF any statement that the
rights Of a SINGLE Individual has been /
un5ustly invaded
'-rne United states senate has for /
II months had in its HANDS the power 4
70 end conditions that are unmlstak-
ably irksome 70 a great many Oh our
because with the ratification
OF the peace treaty the operation Of
laws that were enacted to safeguard
the interests Of the country in the
war would automatically cease
AS long as these laws are on the
statute books they must be enforced
They have been and are being en-
forced with as little injury to the
welfare Of the country and rights Of
individuals as possible 1 don't know
that i would even care to defend any
policy that 1 have deemed essential
10 the fullest protection Of the nat
Onal interest
THAT would be too much Ike offer
Ing an apology where one is not
needed / don't believe that my course
salls for an apology Of any kind.
Admits No Responsibility.
The Republican and not the Demo-
ratio policy has been responsible for
my bad effects that have resulted
rom the failure of the Republican
senate to ratify the Versailles treaty
md the covenant Of the league Of
nations.
aThe Republican policy Of neEatlOn
ias been persisted in for the sole
purpose Of advancing Republican
,hances for winning the coming
presidential election and hos never