The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-04
Mr.. Roots KEYNOTE. ;,

go @NSSN 49, @ASNN
THE speech made by Elihu Root al
the Republican state convention in New
York" declares the Boston Herald
qnd. Rep), lis well described as a
keynote speech, for it dealt forcibly
and frankly with the most pressing is
sues Of the hour and win be widely
accepted as a timely presentation Of
Republican principles. In this speech
the Salt Lake Tribune (Rep) thinks
Mr.. Root has outlined the platform
upon which the Republicans will go to
Mr.. Root placed his principal empha-
sis on the need for curtailing the "au-
tocratic'H powers of the president,
which the Seattle Times Qnd) regards
as The biggest political question Of the
day" The Rocky Mountain News
Qnd) holds the same opinion and
SWhat Mr.. Root advocates in de-
Capitalization of executive authority
has it's main support in what has taken
place in the last year at the White
House The president of our republic
is clothed with, or has assumed, more
power than is given to any other head
of a nation, be he an elected officer or
hereditary king The war was the
entering wedge, with the end OF the
war the wedge was not withdrawn but
pushed farther. II is the duty of the
Republican party to make this nation
safe for democracy and free it from
the present rule of autocracy"
WELDING such absolute and unre-
vokable power" comments the St.
Louis Globe Democrat (Rep.), "a presi-
dent might involve the nation in Sc
rious difficulty without in any way eX-
ceeding his constitutional limitations
The Boston Transcript (lnd. RepO
| urges that the Republican party
leaders "rededicate themselves and
| their party to the overthrow of 'au-
| tocracy by consent, and the restoration
| of the government of the constitution;
| Democratic papers are not SLOW 10
| take up this challenge. If the contin-
uance Of the executives war powers
| docs constitute grievance" remarks
| the Dallas News Qnd. Den,), lit must
puzzle most men to see how the fault
can be fastened on the Democrats,
| since it is the Republicans who have
! controlled the legislative branch of the
| government since before the war ended
| If none of those acts comforting auto
cratic power on the president has been
repealed, it is not because he has We
toed repeal measures, but because nc
repeal measures have been passed by
Republican house and Republican
| senate"
Or, as the Lynchourg News Dem.)
puts it: !
"The present congress has been in
| session almost a year. and If during
such period the president has enjoyed
majority in that body should have
trimmed it. 1t held the scissors in Its
hands-why did it not resort to The
needful clipping policy?"
In the view of the Kansas City Pos
tInd.) the continuation of the war pow
ers OF the president is due to the fac
that this country is still at war
this Is another question that Mr.. Roo
tackles In his speech" ratification O
the treaty with the senate amendmen
long before the presidential elections,
Says the Portland Oregonian Qnd
Repl:
due to differences of opinion between
president and senate on its terms, TO
they have been reduced to mere mat
tiers of phraseology but to the presi
dents autocratic determination that h
shall have undivided authority over for
eign affairs and to the senate's equa
firmness in exercising its co-ordinat
power. AS both Mr.. Root and Lor
Grey point out, after the treaty is rati
fled and the league organized, the wa
will be open for reform of the covenant
and Mr.. Root definitely proposes thi
reform after Inauguration OF RepuD
lican president"
But the end sought in this instance
thinks the Chattanooga News Dem.
lis the election of Republican presi
dent, and not the reform of the leagu
of nations And it Seems queer I
the Sioux City Tribune Ond.) that M
| Root should now be calling for tn
2 Lodge reservations, because "it will b
recalled that after President Wilso
| made his trip to this country durin
J the Paris negotiations, Mr.. Root mac
| an extensive analysis of the leagl
.. covenant naming the changes /
thought necessary And those change
were cabled to the president and II
: covenant was revised to conform wit
Mr., Roots wishes"
' The Minneapolis Tribune CRep) find
5 however, that "Mr. Root has supple
mented Mr.. Lodges iudicious but es
s sentially negative program with a pos
V tive program which, though enunciate
without the customary executiN
rhetoric adheres strictly to the loftie,
i world-ideals ever proclaimed by M