The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-06-28
Temporary Chairman Cum
mings of Democratic Ma
tiOnal Convention De-
nounces Republicans.
GREAT Is DEMOCRACY
Peace Treaty and League Of Nations
Made Dominant Issue Of CON-.
ing Presidential
Campaign.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 2S.-Mak-
ing the peace treaty and the league Of
nations the dominant issue of the
coming presidential campaign Homer
Cummings, as temporary chairman Of
the democratic national convention to-
day delivered the keynote speech.
Cummings devoted half of his time to
a discussion of the treaty and its re-
ception by the senate. Cummin gs
praised democratic achievements Of
the past eight years and uttered ring
ing denunciation Of the republican,
party
Speaking of the league of nations
plank in. the republican platform. Cum
-mings sasid: N
TT praises without discrimination
all the republican senators who par
ticipated in the defeat. It's words Of
benediction fall alike upon the irrecon-
cilables. the Lodge reservationists, the
mild reservationists and those who
proposed separate peace with Ger
many - 1t is enough to know
that the old guard sold the honor OF
America for the privilege of nominal
ing a reactonary for president"
After naming the nations that have
ratified the peace treaty. Cummings
Said
What nations stand outside? Revo-
lutionary Mexico, bolshevist Russia,
Turkey and-the United
States of America"
He accused the republicans in the
senate of conspiracy to defeat the
treaty because they were moved by
a strange and inexplca'ble jealousy of
the president"
Speaking of the sacrifices President
Wilson made for the treaty, he said:
Congress was in session for months
while the president lay in the white
house struggling with terrifying i'll
ness and, at times, close to the point
Of death. ... ..ta It.. g..
THE president made every sacri-
fice for the cause Of peace" Cum
nings declared, while at home there
was widespread propaganda making it
imperative that he take up in his own
struggle for the preserva
ion of that which had been won at in
,alculable cost. Following the super
human labors of seven years of unex-
IMPLIED service, this meant the wreck
If his health-and worse than physical
sickness, the sickness of heart which
comes from the knowledge that po-
itical adversaries are savagely de- /!
,troying the hope of settled
1eace. This was the affliction-this |
he cruciixion." !
Cummings detailed the achieve !
nents of the nation during the world J
var. He gave all credit to American !,
,atriotism and added:
But surely the time has come when |
because of the calculated criticism !
md the premeditated calumnies of the |
opposition we are entitled to call at |
ention to the fact that all Of these |
hings were achieved under the leader ;
hip of a great democrat and the great !
administration
I'VE have no apologies to make, not !
me-" he said ''We are proud of our /
,reat navy: we are proud of our /
plendid army; we are proud of the /
ower of our country and the manner |
q which that power has been used
and we are proud of the inspir-
d and incompatible leadership Of
Woodrow Wilson.
Has not the time come when I
americans, irrespective of party,
hould begin to praise the achieve
lenrs Of our country, rather than
them? The American flag
lust not be lowered" i
Cummings said the republican plat !,
orm seeks to shame and besmirch
his shining record of tremendous /,
He referred to the i
arious congressional committees as
smelling committees. |,
Over eighty Investigations have II
cen made by congress and over 81. {
90. GOO wasted" he said, .and the one i,
esult has been to prove that it was
nv, naca Ia