The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-18
Republican Platform Should Have Quoted Bismarck and Bernhardi Instead of Washington and Lincoln, President Declares
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 New York, June 17.-Presi- dent Wilson, in a special inter- view given to the New York World to be published tomor- row morning, said he was "ex- tremely confident that the democratic convention at San Francisco will welcome the ac- ceptance by the republican party to make the League of Nations the issue in this cam paign."
 .T am even more confident" the President said, ssthat such referen-
 dunn will confirm my faith that the
 American people desire it above
 anything else that political
 party now may provide. and that
 they will condemn the republican
 policy of denying them the con-
 summation of their hopes. No one
 will recommend referendum on
 that issue more than l."
 q suppole l should feel flattered,' he said, lover being made the issue of the presidential campaign by the re- publican party. But even the effort of the platform makers at Chicago to confer the distinction of being not only 8 burning but living issue by cam ouflaging and obscuring the real is. sues, will not deceive the people.
 WRONG. MEN QUOTED
 ssThe processes by which the Chi-
 LL
 seemed to me to have been essen
 tialIy and scientifically Prussian
 in inspiration and method. Instead
 of quoting Washington and Lin-
 coin, the republican platform
 should have quoted Bismarck and
 Bernanrdi. Ett1Isc the republican
 attitude IegLrefn ing the supreme is-
 sue thnt can nos he abandoned or
 diregarslci strongly suggests the
 arbftrn-y influences that d1ctated
 the doctrines of those two eminent
 persons.
 "Every charge directed against me and my administration is obviously de- signed to becloud and negative the para mount issue confronting the people or America, to befog their sense of respon- sibility and make violation of the obliga- tions they have assumed to be of small consequence. I sincerely believe that 
 win the sanction of the American people for it's attempted evasion of these obli- cations will be decisively rebuked. With enc thing am fully satisfied-tnat IS that the republican party in it's platform has joined me in the suggestion l made in my letter to the guests at the Jackson Day dinner in Washington in January last In that letter I expressed the hope that a sincere attempt would be made to determine the attitude of the Ameri- can people on the League of Nations by the resort to the genuinely democratic process of the referendum.
 WANTS CHALLENGE REPEATED ''Of course, have no way of antici- pating the probable trend of sentiment that will be expressed in the democratic national convention at San Francisco or forecasting the ultimate conclusions Of that body. But I have every confidence that the delegates who will sit in that convention will repeat the challenge l issued to the republican party and ex- press their readiness to permit the peo- ple to decide between the vague ana ambiguous declaration by the republicans and a positive and definite expression of opinion by the democratic party. Whatever else the democratic party may do, I hope that its convention at San Francisco will say just what it means on every issue and that it will not resort either to ambiguity or eVasion III uo- ing so.
 "This thing (the League of Nations) lies too deep to permit of any political sculduggery any attempt to sidestep or eyade moral and humanitarian responsi- bilities, much too solemn to treat so lightly or ignore.
 aT should prefer at this time not
 to discuss partisan politics or to
 venture any predictions as to the probable attitude that the demo-
 cratic convention will take on my subject. I sincerely believe. how
 ever, that the vast majority or
 gentlemen who will sit in the san Francisco convention will appre-
 cfate the necessity md permanent
 value of keeping the word that
 America has given to the rest of
 the world.
 NOBODY FOOLED
 .The thinly yelled rejection of the principle of the League of Nations py the Chicago convention will not fool any one. The attitute of Senator Lodge and that of Senator Johnson differ cnly in degree Both are really op- posed to it in any form. One Of these gentlemen is disingenuous and evaslVe and the other candidly hostile
 .It must be a trifle disconcerting to some republicans" he added. ito have  that which was approved few years ago by some of their most important leaders. am as confident today as was when I returned from Paris fin aliv in July last. that the people oi moi only America, but of the entire world. are in favor of the League of Nations; that they would feel greater sense of security if ita bene- fits should be guaranteed: that they would not approve. with their votes If the policy of the republican party which Is wholly political in intent and nurpose, to deny them the protection that the League of Nations assures.
 ssThe republican congressional pol, ity." he added .was more signlfican' fo~ evasion of joint responsibility IT prapplinr with the problems that con front the country than for any mora anpreciation of the responsibility IT. self Republican leaders In Congress cr,ed aloud for the repeal of some ol tba measures which they well Knew n-otected the people from more se' rious evils than they would have tne country know
 saThe Lever food control act mas rroved to be one of the most effective apencies in preventing depredauons the expense of the people than aimos
 aaSnre u0w in operation