Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-30
Sigrals Of Distress.

trcss that have been displayed by MIR
Will N. Hays, the alleged "astute" chair
man of the Republican National Com
mittee. Equally plain is the fact that they
are practical admissions Of the desperate
plight in which he finds the Republican
party on the eve of an important national
campaign--dividcd into factions, viewed
with distrust by thousands of voters on
account of it's uncertain war record, and
openly rcptdiated by other thousands OF
its former supporters on account OF the
unpntxictic and destructive attitude OF Its
representatives in the United States
Senate towards the Treaty Of Peace and
the Covenant of the League OF Nations.
With the ''Grand Old Party thus
struggling in the mire of uncertainty,
confusion, damning record and lack of
patriotism, and apparently doomed TO
Overwhelming defeat notwithstanding the
cpen manner in which il is assured of the
support of all the pro-German elements
and other forces OF destruction and
disloySltv, il is no wonder Chairman
HAYS is desperately worried over the
important matter of an appropriate plat
form declaration by the Republican
National Convention { be held 10 Chi
csso, next June Surely there is nothing
in the party situation, in the party's
record since the beginning of the Great
War. to which the platform NAV point
with pride +" Nor is there anything IN the
record Of the Democratic national admin
istration which it may earnestly abIure
the people to ''view with alarm Not
even a rlittering mass of generaities to
sound assuring but 10 mean nothing,
seems possible. Never before did such q
job of platform building confront the
managers Of great political party.
That Chairman Hays was losing sleep
over this troublesome problem was made
manifest several weeks ago when he !
resorted TO the absurd and unheard OF |
procedure of advertising prizes amounting /
To $4,000 for platform suggestions from /
aspiring men and women IN the party. 1
Here was an admission that the task
was too difficult TO be performed by the
usual agency of committee on resolu-
tons appointed by the national con-
vention, in co-operaiion with the wiseacres
Of the Republican National Committee.
The constructive brains of the entire
partv-amateur as well as professional
were appealed to in the performance of
the task, possibly in the hope that some
inspired genius might produce something
that would at least pass muster as
platform for the party.
But not even in this unique, unprece-
oented extremity could Chairman Hays
place absolute dependence. Evidently
the platform haunted his thoughts by day
and his dreams by night. What could be
said In this momentous document to
put the Republican party III reasonably
fair light? What could it promise in the
way of future accomplishment that would
not be damned by comparison with the
amazing record of wrong performance
and non-performance Of the past?
And SO Chairman HAYS conceived and
put forth another scheme for the evolution
Of a party platform. a scheme of CO.
operation. BY telegraphie eomnunica-
ton with press, public and individuals,
he has laid the platform situation before
the country and invited the aid of III
prominent members of the party from
all the States-l9 women among the num-
ber--to act as ali advisory board in
cooperating with the national committee
IN the construction Of a platform. This ,
sdvisory committee is to have an execu-
tive committee, which Will receive all ,
suggestions and arrange for the use of ;
those that may be found to have any ,
elements of merit. {
What conglomeration. What diffu-
sion Of effort TO bring order out of chaos:
10 rehabilitate party that has soiled its
political garments by acts repellant to [
sound policy and good purpose to make q
the miserable pretence of building up '
on paper-a good record for a party that |
has damned its political prospects by 4
most offensive record of both omission
and commission. 1t is said that ''in
a multitude of counselors there is wis
DOM" but all the wisdom of the world $
cannot alter facts, cannot make black
white. or bad good. And this is the task
assigned TO Chairman Hays advisory j
{
There is little doubt that after all the
Republican platform for this year will be
10 the regulation manner by the
Republican National Convention, through
us resolutions committee working under
the supervision Of the Republican Ma !.
tonal Committee, and promulgated with
~ much flourish Of trumpets as audacity
"A ignoring plain facts will admit of. But :
no such production will deceive the people
The record os the Republican party !
'hrocsh its representatives IN the Con- b