Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-02-05
Circulation Every 1A1E7
Evening Yesterday XfXOI
THURSDAY. FE BRUARY 5. 1920.



In an address before the Nations
Press Club of Washington, Tuesda,
night, Senator Warren G. Harding O
Ohio, leading aspirant TO the Republican
nomination for observation-disclosures VIII,
he should be SO considered is grea'
political MISREPRESENTATION that th'
United States "be unshsckled from wa,
conditions in government and industry.
He said: Every war measure ought to be
ended. We need ~ much repeal of OBJ
struction as we need enactment for con-
str1ction."
Senator Harding has stated plain
proposition, and one with which large
part of the country will be in hearty
accord. There is no doubt the need of the
day is for legislation that will remove
as quickly as possible the abnormal
conditions which naturally grew out of the
violent and Notwithstanding war, and
enable government, industry and COM
merce to get back to the normal conditions
of the past.
But this is a matter for the Congress 10
attend to. and Senator Harding Is a
member of the Congress. Why has he not
endeavored to carry his own advice into
practical effect? Why has not the Con-
gress in which he is member of the
political majority done something TO
relieve the country from the stress and
disorder of war conditions?
This Republican Congress has been
in almost continuous session for nearly
wear, in full possession and control, every
dav of this time, of the machinery of
legislation. With a majority IN each
house it has had the power TO pass measure
after measure of legitimate and promising
purpose in the cause of reconstruction
and restoration of sound business.
But in this line the Congress has done
practically nothing. In the Senate, the
rabid, partisan, unreasonang and I'M
patriotic attack upon the Peace Treaty
and the League of Nations has over
Swallowed all other matters. Filled with
jealousy because the war and its oppor-
eunities for legislative and executive
accomplishment happened under q Demo-
cratic national administration, these par
tisans now oppose the full restoration OF
peace because they fear some measure
OF credit may attach TO President Wilson,
whom they seem to hate with blind and
unreasoning fury. And 30 they have
postponed peace and kept the country
in a state OF war by refusal to ratlfy the
Treaty or give approval to the Covenant
Of the League of Nations.
Meanwhile, TO the danger that attends
the unsettled and unnatural conditions
which prevail at home, is added the alarm,
unrest and serious disturbance to the
regular current of business prevailing
abroad. All of Europe today is on the
verge of distraction. Terrible suffering
prevails IN many sections, especially in
Armenia and Austria, with thousands OF
women and children among the victims,
which we are called upon to relieve, but
In vain Business is in precarious shape
and the rates of foreign exchange are
perilously low, so largely has the financial
credit Of the warning countries been i'm
paired. War still rears its horrible front
and threatens more desolation, not only
IN Russia, under the rule of the Bolshevists
but in Italy Jugo-Slavia, and Germany,
while Poland, with national reconstruc-
tion yet incomplete, Is once more threat
ened with dissolution and oppression
by the Russian terror.
1t is this situation, no doubt, that
inclted Lord Grey TO his public argument
for ratihcat ton of the Peace Treaty and |
League of Nations Covenant, no matter |
what reservations might be injected into |
them so long as the result would be to |
place our country at the head OF the |
League, to conduct its functions in the |
direction Of a complete restoration Of /
world peace. Europe feels its inability to
accomplish this great task without our
aid and cooperation. and our aid and i
are withheld by heartless |
snd partisan majority in the Senate.
And Senator Harding is one Of tht body. /
No wonder the Senator from Ohio. in
view Of the probability of his nomination
for President by party that is suffering
from an amazing paucity of attractive
Presidential material, is concerned over
the situation. He knows the Republican
party will be compelled to conduct this
years campaign mainly on the record Of
the Republican Congress of which he is a
member, and he knows tho daInnable
character OF that record thus far. He
2nows that such a record would bring
overwhelming defeat upon any political
party, no matter how strongly II might
BE- entrenched in power Hence his
concern. has visible worriment over the /
and the outlook.