The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-06-22
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AUToCRACY NOT WANTED

TUnited Press Leased Wire Service. ]
CHICAGO, June 22.-William F.
McCombs, former chairman of the
democratic national committee, and
chairman of President Wilson's first
campaign, prepared today to go to the
San Francisco convention to war
against President Wilson.
1T is futile to create smoke
screen in Europe by saying what this
country wants, and, on the other hand,
it is futile to try to create a smoke
screen here by saying what in honor
I'VE must do"
McCembs declared in attacking Will
sons plan for a league of nations
plan, in the democrtic platform. AT
San Francisco we again turn to true
democracy regardless of plate holders
and pot hunters" McCombs said.
I'VE have finished with fine phrase.
The indignities of autocracy will never
again be accepted by this nation
Statement BY McCombs.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, June 22.-William
F. McCombs, chirman of tie demo
cratic national committee from 1912
to 1916 and manager of President VIII
sons 1912 campaign, issued state
ment here before leaving for San
Francisco attacking what he charac-
terized as the presidents "autocratic"
assumption of authority.
President Wilson, he said, has no
more right to call himself leader of
the democratic party, "a conception
heretofore never entertained by any
American than has Chief Justice
White, former Speaker Champ Clark
or Vice President Thomas r. Marshall.
McCombs announced that arrange
ments had been made to obtain for
him a seat in the New York delega-
tion if he decides to take the floor at
San Francisco. The New York dele
cation, he predicted, will throw its
support to Governor James M. Cox of
Ohio after casting complimentary
vote for Governor Smith. He added
that he believed a westerner, possibly
from the PACIFIC slope, will be nomi-
mated for vice president
His statement, in part, follows:
They tell me that America has
pledged it's word to Europe and that
this word must be redeemeds in the
process of national campaign. In
my belief, America has pledged itself
to nothing. One individual, speaking
as such, permitted Europe to believe
that he spoke for America. But he
had no authority to speak for a ma
ton, for in the last analysis he was
nothing more than a selfappointed
emissary. Nevertheless, America is
asked to validate this signature affixed
abroad, signature which apparently
was accepted in good faith by all the
European peoples as absolute.
The president negOtiates treaty,
but the senate may or may not con-
cur by two-thirds majority. In this
particular instance there has been no
concurrence.
Other nations may want a league
of nations, and it may be that we do.
But we do not want to commit our
selves to the league of nations as it
was brought back from Paris. It is
an international issue, but it is a
hi ighly debatable question as to what
Importance it should have in a ma
tional campaign. Ultimately it is
question for the president and the
senate to settle.
The statement then declares for re-
construction at home, rehabilitation
of railway and internal waterway
transportation and for solution of the
high cost of living, wholly apart from
any international affiliations.'