New-York tribune., 1920-01-09

party is the party whose ideas bes
tit it for the task Of leadership i,
such work.
Praise Given to Wilson
"A Democratic President was tn
spokesman of the United States i,
holding out to a war-worn world tn,
hope of universal peace, and h,
brought back frori Paris the covenan
Of league of nations that provide.
means for settling international dis
putes without resort to force. II,
did the best he could, and succeeded
better than we had any right to ex
pect. when we remember that h,
fought single-handed against the self.
ish interests of the world.
The Republican party, in control OF
the Senate, instead of ratifying al
once or promptly proposing changes
that 1t deemed necessary, has fiddleo
while civilization has been threatened
with conflagration. 1t could have
adopted it's reservations as we'll five
months ago as later, but it permitted
endless debate while suffering human.
ity waited.
The Democratic Senators stood with
the President for ratification without
reservation, and I stood with them
believing that it was better to secure
within the league, after it was estab-
attempt to secure them by reserva-
tions in the ratifying resolutions. But
our plan has been rejected and we
must face the situation as it is. We
must either secure such compromises
as may be possible or present the
issue to the country. The latter course
would mean delay of at least four
teen months and then success only
in case of our securing a two thirds
majority in the Senate
We cannot afford, either as cit-
zens or as members Of the party, to
share with the Republican party re-
sponsibility for further delay; we can
not go before the country on the is
sent. The Republicans have majority
in the Senate, and, therefore, can by
right dictate the Senate's course. Be
ing in the minority, we cannot demand
the right to decide the terms upon
which the Senate will consent to rati-
fication. Our nation has spent 100000
precious lives and more than $2O,OOO,-
100000 to make the world safe for
democracy, and the one fundamental
principle Of democracy is the right Of
the majority to rule. 1t applies to the
Senate and to the House as we'll as to
the people. According to the Consti-
tuition, a treaty is ratified by a two
thirds vote, but the Democratic party
cannot afford to take advantage of the
constitutional right of a minority to
prevent ratification. A majority of
Congress can declare war. Shall we
make it more difficult to conclude a
treaty than to enter war?
Wants War Ended Forever
"Neither can we go before the coun-
try on the-~issue~ raised by Article X,
If we do not intend to impair the right
of Congress to decide the question of
peace or war when the time for action
arises, how can we insist upon a moral
obligation to go to war, which can
have no force or value except as it
does impair the independence of Con-
gress? We owe it to the world to ioin
in an honest effort to put an end to
war forever, and that effort should be
made at the earliest possible moment.
"A Democratic party cannot be a
party of negation; it must have a con
struction program. 1t must not only
favor league Of nations, but it must
have plan for the election of dele
gates and a policy to be pursued bv
those delegates. What plan can a Dem
ocratic party have other than one that
contemplates the popular election of
those delegates, who, in the influence