Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-07-02

N0SAks0N y 81 III Lac 3 k1AO = ~
Of the country III involved In this busi-
ness; and We point to the accusing
fact that, before It was determined to
initiate political antagonism into the
treaty. the now Republican chairman
Of tho senate foreign relations COM
mittee himself publicly proclaimed
that any proposition for . separate
peace with Germany, such as he and
his party associates thereafter report
guilty of the blacklist crime"
On Nay, IL last the Knox substitute
for the Versailles treaty was pasDed
by the republican senate: and this
convention can contrive no more 1T
ting Characterization Of its colloquy
than that made in the Forum maya
xfne Of December. 1913, by Henry
Cabot Lodge, whence he saSd5
If we send U armies and young
IN northern France and Flanders with
no result but this. our entrance into
war with such an intention was a
crime which nothing can justify.
The intent Of congress and the in
tent OF the president WAs that there
could be no peace until we could cre
ate a situation where no such war az
this would recur. We cannot make
peace except in company with our al
lies. It would brand us with, everlast-
ing dBhonor and bring ruin to us also
II we undertook to make a separate
peace"
Thus to that which Mr.. Lodge, in
saner moments, considered the black.
est crime" he and his party in mad
ness sought to give the sanctity Of law
that which eighteen months ago was
OF everlasting dishonor," the Repub.
lcan party and its candidates today
accept as the essence Of faith.
We endorse the presidents view of
our international obligations and his
firm stand against reservations de-
signed to cut to. pieces the vital pro-
! visions of the Versailles. treaty and we
commend the Democrats in congress
for voting against resolutions for sep
arate peace which would disgrace the
nation. We advocate the Immediate
ratification Of the treaty without res
ervations which would impair its es-
sential integrity, but do not oppose
the acceptance Of any reservations
making clearer or more specific the
obligation Of the United States to the
League of Nations. Only by doing
this may we retrieve the reputation OF
this nation among the powers Of the
earth and recover the moral leader.
ship which President Wilson won and
which Republican politicians at Wash.
fngton sacrificed. Only by doing THU
may we hope to aid effectively in the
restoration Of order throughout the
world and to take the place which W.
should assume in the front ranks OF
spiritual. commercial and industrial,
advancement.
We reject as utterly vain, If not
vicious. the Republican assumption
that ratification OF the treaty ant
membership in the League of Nation,
would In any wise impair the integrit,
or independence of our country. Thu
fact that the covenant. has been en-
tered into by twenty-nine nations al
as jealous Of their independence a.
ton of such charge. The presiden'
repeatedly has declared, and this con
ventfon reafirms. that all our duties
and obligations as q member of tn.
league must be fulfilled in strict con
formity with the constitution Of tn,
United, States, embodied in which il
the fundamental requirements o
~declaratory action by the, congress be
fore this nation may become q par
ticipant in any war. q,
Conduct Of the War. 8
During the war President Wilson
exhibited the very broadest concep
ton Of liberal Americanism. In hi
conduct of the war, as in the, genera
administration Of his once, there wa
no semblance of partisan bias. He in
vited to Washington as his, councillor
and coadtutors hundreds of the mos
prominent and pronounced Republ,
cans in the country. To these h
committed responsibilities Of tn
gravest import and most confidentia
%nature.a Many of them, had charge o
vital activities Of the government
And yet, with the war, successful;
prosecuted and gloriously. ended. tn
Republican party in congress, IA
from applauding the mastery leader
ship of the president and f%elicitatinI
tho country on the amazing achieve
ments of the American government,