The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-04
TAG INEVITABLE" WAR.

MT. AnfdlnB ID an oApoHoHt VI hhN
sight. He can tell us, with unerring
accuracy, what ought to have been
done, but his suggestion Of party gov
eminent" is about as near as he can
come to telling us what ought to be
done. He would first have to consult
Penrose. The Springfield Republican
has had considerable fun with the sem
ator's recent statement that mo ex-
plcnation ever may be made to excuse
our lack OF prudent preparation for our
inevitable part In the world war, be-
cnuse the administration knew we
could not escape inducements"
There are wide differeces OF opinion
about the necessity Of such "explana-
ton" as Ia here indicated. II Is our
opinion that there are comparatively
fcw persons--perhaps none disinterested
who are thinking anything about ex-
plantations and excuses. The Republican
is unable TO determine how long after
II was over that It took Senator Hard
ing 10 discover that war was "inevit-
able" and that somebody was to be
execrated for not making prudent
preparation" for It. That he did not
discover II before the war 10 evidenced
by the fact that he never said anything
ABOUT IL NJ tnut tlIne'
On the contrary. II those In authority
were depending upon Senator Harding
and his crowd for warning, they have
explanations and excuses ready TO
hand. There was no indication that
war was Inevitable" The republican
national platform In 1919 declared THAI
I'VE desire peace, the peace OF Justice
and right, and believe In maintaining
n straight ana honest neutrality boz
tween the belllgerents in the great war
in Europe" Senator Harding himself
had furnished his party the tip In his
keynote speech declaration that mo
political party can draw q variable
chart for our ship Of state amid Eu-
ropes warning ambitions. lust for
power or battles for self preservation.
Justice points the way through the
safe channel of neutrality"
Is there anything inevitable" about
either OF these auotations3 Both were
made after the Lusitnnia disaster and
while diplomatic exchanges over that
affair were still In progress. II there
was anybody at that time who recog-
niZod that war was inevitable II was
somebody who manifestly possessed n
much clearer prophetic insight than
party what ho now says In perhaps
up to the standard OF the average pollt-
ioal deliveranoe, but II does little credit
TO the intelligence OF n man who seeks
to administer the American government.
oven as the pawn Of political party.
Senator Harding does not loom larger
as a constructive statesman MS the cam
paign progresses. His stumbling course
ha ViH - hnn ~
sons, There is little wonder. granting
that he has n sense OF humor that he
tries TO hide behind the republican
party. He is foundering. About tho
only definite. positive policy he has
thus far developed is that OF trying 10
take advantage OF the reaction against
tho policies OF the present administra-
ton. He. therefore. feels under the
necessity OF orlticising what has been
done, or attempted, whether intelii-
gently or not without Offering any def
mite substitutes.
IL Senator Harding were asked TO
outline with some approach, to ogaot
moss tho amount and character Of pre-
paredneAs necessary and proper in this
country, he could not toll. II no were
called upon 20 state what future wars
arc Inevitable. he could not do H. All
no knows is that he belongs to n party
which usually coddles tho interests. tho
milltarist interest along with others,
and that he IL expected TO crltioise the
undertakings of the opposite party.
That IL all that was meant by his
speech last Saturday.
The people would like 10, know what
sort of president Mr.. Harding would
make, but he is not going to ton them.
II IL altogether probable that he does
not know himself. About the nearest
TO the mark one might come by guess.
ing would be to form composite mem
tai picture OF the senatorial junta
whose creature he Ia. He favors repub-
lican party government and he considers
those senators an enitome Of the repub-
ilcan party.