Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-27
SENATOR SMITH IS
GREETED BY LARGE
CROWD IN SAVANNAH
Senator Praises AdminiStra-
TONS Achievements and
. Tells of His Own Service
}. During War Period
BY ROGERS wTNTER,
tseaK Correspondent of The Journal.)

6OGT6GSS w &N&6A
tstaR Correspondent of The Journal.)
SAVANNAH, Ga, March 26.-That
the friends Of Senator Hoke Smith
are justified in their confidence of his
Carrying Chatham county in the pres
= idential primary was abundantly
demonstrated last night by the size
Of the audience that heard his ad-
dress In the Savannah auditorium
and by the manneS in which they in
dorsed the reservations to the League
Of Nations which he presented to
them as absolutely necessary TO safe
guard American interests.
To say that Mayor Murray Stewart,
W. W. Osborn and the other friends
of Senator Smith were pleased with
the complete success of the meeting
would understate the facts. They
were more than pleased. Considering
the fact that they only started two
days ahead of time to advertise the
meeting, and the fact that Guy Bates
Post played here last night in THE
Mascuerader," for one performance
only, and the fact that hundreds of
prominent Savannah people had
bought their tickets in advance OF
the announcement of Senator Smiths
speaking, Messrs. Stewart and o.
born were not only pleased, but dis
tinctly surprised by the size Of the
audience. Estimates ranged all the
way from two to four thousand, &C
cording to the enthusiasm Of the par
ticular man who did the estimating.
Senator Smith confined his ad-
dress almost entirely to the League
Of Nations. His mention of the
presidential primary was only in
cidental, and was in accordance with
his announced intention to stick to
the League of Nations in view Of the
fact that his engagement was ar
ranged prior to his entrance into the
presidential primary. In mentioning
the primary, he said he entered 1t
because he did not wish Georgia
Democrats to be forced by an unfair
choice to send to San Francisco a
delega ton obligated to vote for the
league without reservations, when
such a platform in his opinion would
mean disaster for the party.
Tribute to President Wilson
If Senator's Smiths opponents ex-
pected and hoped he would make an
attack upon President Wilson, they
certainly came away from the audi
torium disappointed. Though diff
fering with the president concerning
the nature of the obligations that
would be placed upon the United
States by ratification of the peace
treaty without reservations Of the
League of Nations covenant, Sena-
tor Smith at the same time ex-
pressed in the highest terms his adj
miration Of the presidents exalted
tdealism, his zeal for service in be-
half Of humanity, his great con-
structive leadership in domestic leg
islation that will benefit the country
for all time to come. The senator
differences with the president were
parliamentary differences, not per-
sona1 differences. His criticisms of
the League of Nations covenant were
not an attack upon the presidents
motives or the objects sought in
such a covenant, but an honest diff
ference Of opinion with the presi-
dent concerning the position in which
the United States would place itself
by adopting exactly without reserva-
tions the language of the covenant.
Senator Smith did not hesitate to
make it plain that he considers a few
of the reservations supported by him
that they nullify the present provis-
ions Of the covenant at which they
are aimed He agreed with President
Wilson that the reservations do con-
Htitute a nullific ton of these pro-
visions of the C venant, as the presi-
dent has asserted, and precisely for
that reason he insists upon them and
never Will vote to ratify the treaty
without them, for he frankly inform
ed his audience that the provisions
must be nullifed before he will con-
sent to the entrance of the United
States into t. league
Opposes Third Term
On one other point he was equally
plain, and that was in regard to the
nomination of President Wilson as
the Democratic candidate for a third
term. He stated in language that
was impossible of neutrality-suspicious.
that he will never vote for President
Wilson or any other man to serve a
third consecutive term in the : lite
House.
That the audience indorsed the
senator's position on both Of these
points-that is to say, upon his re-
fusal to accept certain provisions OF
the League of Nations without res
ervat1ons, and upon his refusal tc
support President Wilson or any
other man for a third consecutive
term-was made quite as plain by
them as a gathering of people can
make themselves plain. Senator
Smith presented his position In
perfect frankness and with perfect
clearness. They '1dorsed him with
equal frankness and equal clearness
There AS not major point in his
whole address, that was not applaud
ed to the echo.
But the senator's serious and in
tense convictions regarding the sur
render of American rights by unre-
served acceptance of the language OF
the. treaty were not presented to ar
audience at the moment thinking
upon the subject for the first time