The Mena weekly star., 1920-07-08
.LAUDS WILSON AND
FAvORS LEAGUE
Outline Of Democratic Platform De-
clares for Treaty AS II Is Written
and Praises Splendid Party
Record.

n
ing are the more important features In
the planks of the platform, which was
silent on prohibition, submitted to the
Democratic national convention to-
day:
THE Democratic party in its ma
tional convention now assembled
sends greetings to the president OF
the United States, Woodrow Wilson,
and halls with patriotic pride the
great achievements for country and
the world wrought by the Democratic
administration under his leadership.
League OF Nations.
1.-THE Democratic party fayors the
league of nations as the surest, II not
the only practicable means Of main
tanning the permanent peace OF the
world and terminating the insuffer-
able burden Of great military and ma
val establishments. II was for this
that America broke away from tradi-
tional isolation and spent her blood
and treasure to crush colossal
scheme OF conquest IL was upon this
basis that the president of the United
States in pre-arrangement with our
allies, consented to suspension OF
hostiiities against the imperial Ger
man government; the armistice was
granted and treaty of peace nego-
tiated upon the definite assurance to
Germany, as we'll as to the powers pit
ted against Germany that "a general
association of nations must be formed,
under specific covenants for the pur-
pose of affording mutual guarantees
OF political independence and territor-
ial integrity to the great and small
states alike" Hence, we not only
congratulate the president on the
vision manifested and the vigor ex-
hibited in the prosecution of the war;
but we felicitate him and his asso-
ciates on the exceptional achieve
ments at Paris involved in the adop-
ton of a league and treaty so near
akin to previously expressed Ameri-
can ideals and SO intimately related to
the aspirations OF civilized peoples
everywhere.
1--WE commend the president for
his courage and his high conception
of good faith in steadfastly standing
for the covenant agreed to by all the
associated and allied nations at war
with Germany, and we condemn the
Republican senate for its refusal to
ratify the treaty merely because it
was the product of Democratic states
manship, thus interposing partisan en-
Wy and personal hatred In the way OF
the peace and renewed prosperity OF
the world.
by every accepted standard OF In
ternational morality the president Is
justified In asserting that the honor
of the country Is involved in this bust
ness: and we point to the accusing
fact that before 1t was determined ini-
tiate political antagonism into the
treaty, the now Republican chairman
OF the senate foreign relations COM
mittee himself publicly proclaimed
that any proposition for a separate
peace with Germany, such as he and
his party associates thereafter re-
ported to the senate would make us
guilty of the blacklist crime
Raps at Republicans.
ION May Is, last, the Knox sub
stitute for the Versailles treaty was
passed by the Republican senate; and
this convention can contrive no more
fitting characterization OF its obloquy
than that made in the Forum maya
zine of December, 1918. by Henry Ca
bot Lodge when he said:
If we send our armies and young
men abroadto be killed and wound
ed In southern France and Flanders
with no result but this, our entrance
into the war with such an intention
was a crime which nothing can justi-
fy.
This intent of Congress and the
intent of the president was that there
could be no peace until we could ere.
ate a situation where no war as this
could recur. We cannot make peace
except in company with our allies II
would brand us with everlasting dis.
honor and bring ruin to us also if 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 madness
sought to give the sanctity OF law
that with eighteen months ago was Of
everlasting dishonor' the Republican
party and its candidates today &C
cept as the essence of faith.
We endorse the presidents view
of our international obligations anC
his firm stand against reservations de
signed to cut to pieces the vital pro
visions of the Versailles treaty anC
we commend the Democrats in con
gress for voting against resolutions
for separate peace which would dis
grace the nation. We advocate the i'm
mediate ratification of the treaty with
out reservations which would impai
its essential integrity; but do no
oppose the acceptance Of any reserve
tons making clearer or more specifi
the obligations of the United States &
the league associates. Only by dom
this may we retrieve the reputation q
this nation among the powers OF tn
earth and recover te moral leadershi
which President Wilson won an
which Republican politicians at Wasl
ington sacrificed. Only by doing tn
may We hope to aid effectively in th
restoration of order throughout til
world and to take the place which "
would assume in the front ranks
spiritual commercial and industri
advancement.
We reject as utterly vain, IL n
vicious. the Republican assumptic
that ratification OF the treaty al
membership in the league of natioi
would in any wise impair the inte
rity or independence of our countI
The fact that the covenant has be-
entered into by 20 nations all as jel
GUS OF their independence as we are
ours. Is a sufficient reputation
such charge. The president repeatt
ly has declared. and this convent
reaffirms that all onr dufips and I