Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-27
The Way of Right and Reason
BetgCeen Too Absurd Extremes

1HNE w ny W 4N%SNb ~HO ANCC~S0FS
Between Too Absnrd Extremes
THE moderation and practically Of
Senator Smiths stand on the Peace
Treaty, as distinguished from the ex-
treme and really destructive positions rep
resented in the candidates. Of Attorney Cen
era1 Palmer on the one hand, and senator
Reed on the other, is in line with the best
balanced thought, both Of America and OF
the Allied countries. 1t is virtually the
same position held, on this side OF the wa
ter by such men as Herbert Hoover, Pres1-
dent Lowell, of Harvard, William Howard
Taft, William Jennings Bryan and by TWEEN
ty-three Democratic Senators, all earnest ad-
Vocates of League of Nations; and on the
other side of the water by such leaders as
Lord Grey, the great exponent of English
liberalism, and by the foremost statesmen
Of France AS between the jud1cious coun-
sci of thinkers like these and the radical
cry of those who either denounce the pro-
posed League covenant wholly evil or
praise it's every word and letter as too
sacred for a single change, the majority
OF common-sensed people, we imagine, will
have little hesitancy in choosing.
lit is much to be regretted that petty
palftics ever brought about a situation in
which the Democrats Of Georgia would have
been forced to vote for one or the other
frage rights in the Presidential primary.
All that the rank and file of citizens wished
was fair opportunity to choose their own
candidate and express their own will at the
polls. But that simple right was denied
them. They were told, not IN so many
words, but in the more emphatic form OF
anfarbitraTy and autocratic act, that they
must choose between certain committee
censored candidates or not choose at all.
Such a restriction would have been unjust
in any circumstances, but it was particular
ly so in this instance because, as matters
actually worked out, it reduced the peo-
pie to an alternative that was truly pre-
posterous. It left them only two candidates
to choose between, one of whom stood I'M
qualifiedly against everything the present
Administration has done, partio'''~~'v wiz,
reference to the war and its consequent
issues, nd the other Of whom stood I'M
aualifiedly for everythin~ 49, Ad~,ristration
has done, even to the dep1orable policy of
letting the Peace Treaty be wrecked rather
than accept unavoidable reservations. Some
there are who approve the radical position
thus taken by Senator Reed, and some
who approve the oppositely radical stand
OF Attoriey General Palmer. These few
(for it is uncomfortable that they constitute
more than minority would have had OPP
portunity to vote a real preference if the
contest had been limited, as certain poll
ticians sought to limit it. to Reed and Pal
rner.- But what of the thousands and tens
or thousands who are not extremists on
either side and who believe in League of
Nations so deeply and so broadly that they
are willing to a sacrifice of all partisan
or personal pride in order that the prin-
ciple itself may win out and the great safe
guard of peace be established?
This predetermined majority would have
been virtually disfranchised If their right
of selection had been limited to Attorney
General Palmer and Senator Reed, and the
ho-yo
a politicians farce. All who believed, as
The Journal did, that the people were en-
titled to pass on Herbert Hoover would
have been disfranchised. All who believe
that the Administration great achievements
should be approved but that it's manifest err
fOrs should not be Servilely sanctioned and
repeated, would have been disfrancL.=od.
Ali who believe that 1t is better to save
the Treaty and the League covenant with
reservations than to lose them forever by
unbending pride and partisanship would
have been DISTINGUISHED
1t Is highly regrettable, we say that gen
tlensn who hoped to manipulate the pri-
mar to suit their own plans ever ATTIC d
TO thrust this injustice upon the people OF
Georgia. But the unfair situation hayins
Been forced and the rights of Demo
cratic suffrage having been threatened ii
Tas not to be imagined for moment that
men born to freedom would supinely &C.
cept so fragrant wrong. It was ineyita.
Ole that some way of expression for the
thousands whose appeals were ignored
w~dpd whose rights were overridden would he
sought and would be found. It so happens
as the result of a movement initiated by the
Democrats of Hall county, that Senate,
9oke Smith has been persuaded to enter
the primary for this purpose. His candi
dacy thus becomes, not a personal matter
but matter of principle, a means of as
sertion and vindication for the ideas and
the ideals so vitality involved ideals which
have been craven for long age on Geor
gta's own shield-"Wisdom Justice an6
Moderation" For surely it would be the re-
verse OF wisdom to drag the grave anC
delicate issues Of peace through a long
drawn-out and bitterly partisan campaign
rather than accept needful reservations tc
the League covenant and so make possible
the Treatys ratification. Surely it would
be the reverse Of justice to compel Georgia
Democrats to choose between two candi
dates, neither Of whom they approved, OF
cast no ballot at all. And surely it would
he the reverse of moderation to tie The
pagSy's or the country's fortunes either tt
a radical antagonist or to mere imitatol