Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-18
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
is DOMINANT ISSUE
SAYS PRESIDENT
Continued from First PageD

Of opinion by the democratic party.
Whatever else the democratic party
may do, 1 hope that it's convention at
San Francisco will say just what it
means on every issue and that it Will
| not resort either to ambiguity or
evasion in doing SO.
| This thing (the league of nations)
| lies too deep to permit of any politi-
| cal sculdugSery, any attempt to side
step or evade moral and humanitarian
responsibilities much too solemn to
| treat so lightly or ignore.
! Ventures No Predictions.
II should prefer at this time not
| to discuss partisan politics or to ven
! ture any predictions as to the prob
! able attitude that the democratic con-
yention will take on any subject
sincerely believe, however. that the
vast majority of gentlemen who will
| sit in the San Francisco convention
will appreciate the necessity and per-
| manent value of keeping the word
| that America has given to the rest
| of the world.
THE tfinly yelled rejection of the
| principle of the league of nations by
! the Chicago convention will not fool
| any one. The attitude of Senator
| Lodge and that Of Senator johnson
| differ only in degree. Both are really
opposed to it in any form. One OF
these gentlemen is disingenuous and
| eVasiVe ana the oIher 1aiaioiS ho9
| tile.
1T must be a trifle disconcerting
/ to some republicans" he added. ito
have their party propose now TO re-
pudiate that which was approved
| few wears ago by some of their most
| important leaders. l am as confident
! TODAY as I was when l returned from
Paris finally in July last that the
| people of not only America, but or
the entire world. are in favor of the
| league of nations; that they would
! feel a greater sense of security If its
! benefits should be guaranteed; that
| they would not approve with their
| votes of the policy of the republican
party which is wholly political in in
! tent and purpose; to deny them the
protection that the league OF nations
| assures"
| Congressman Evade.
| ."rhe republican congressional pol
| lev" he added, was more significant
! for evasion of joint responsibility IN
| erappling with the problems that con-
| front the country than Tor any moral
| appreciation of the responsibility It
| self Republican leaders IN congress
| cried aloud for the repeal of some OF
| the measures which they well knew
| protected the people from more Sc
| rious evils than they would nave the
| country know.
/
| agencies in preventing depredatlons at
| the expense of the people than almost
| any other measure now in operation.
Time for repeating it is not yet.
"Republicans chorused ponderous
| note of protest against the admins
| tration enforcement of the espionage
act and some other measures that
were of vital necessity during the war
Yet [ defy the republicans to prove
| that the power given the government
during the war has ever been I'M
Justly used against the people; that
single citizen has been unwarrantly
punished for any act of aggression or
disIoyalty against the nation; that
any man has been punished 1or ex,
messing his opinion. 1 have read
charges to the contrary. but IN each
instance / have had the matter thor
oughly looked into and | am IN
nosition to contest the accuracy OF
anv statement that the rights OF
single citizen have been unJustly IN
Vaded.
L.. 8. Has Had Power to End 1t.
THE United States Senate has for
eleven months had in it's hands the
power to end conditions that are un-
lnistakably irksome to great many
Of our citizens because with the rati-
hcation Of the peace treaty the op'