Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-01-17

putcS without resort of force. lie
dld tho best he could, and succeeded
better than we had any right to cx-
poet when we remember that he
fought single handed against the sci
fish interests of the world.
BLAMES G o. p. FOR DELAY
"Thc Republican party, in control
OF the Senate, instead of rat flying at
once or promptly proposing changes
that ii deemed necessary has fiddlcd
while civilization has been threaten
CT with conflagration. 1t could
ha> aroptcd its reservations us we'll
five months ago rs later, but it pes
mittcd endless debate While suffering
humanity waited.
"rhc Democratic Senators stood
with the President for ratification
without reservation and | stood with
them, believing that it was better TO
secure within the league after it was
established any necessary changes,
than to attempt to secure them by
reservations i'll the ratifying resolu--
, tons, But our plan has been rejected
gnu VIC ihhol ldSS lilS oltu<lSloi ~
is. We must either secure such com
promises as may be possible or pres
cnt the issue to the country. The lat
ter course would mean n delay Of at
least fourteen months and then sue
cess only in case of our securing q
. two-thirds majority in the Senate
! 1--WE cannot afford either as citizens
or as members OF the party to share
with the Republican party RESPONSE :
hIlit! for furthrr delay; we cannot 30
before the country on the issue that
such an appe;,l would present. The
, Republicans have q majority in the
Senate and therefore can by right die
tate the Senate course. Being i'll the
nlnority we cannot demand the right
10 decide the terms upon which the
Senate will consent to ratification
Our nation has spent 100000 precious
| lives and more than twenty billions
of dollars to make the world safe
| tai principle OF democracy is the
right Of the majority to rule. 1t ap
plies to the Senate and to the House
AS we'll as to the people.
! According to the Constitution, a
! treaty is ratified by two--thirds
: vote but the Democratic party can
not afford to take advantage Of the
! constitutional right of minority
! to prevent ratification. A majority
| of Congress can declare war. Shall
We make it more dicicult to conclude
la treaty than to enter war?
| CANNOT IMPAIR CONGRESS-
] Neither can we go before the coun
, try on the issue raised by Article X
! II we do not intend to impair the
right Of Congress to decide the
question OF peace or war when the
time for action arises how can we
insist upon moral obligation to go
to war which can have no force or
value except rs 1t does impair the
| independence OF Congress? We owe
| it to the world to join in an honest
effort to put an end to war forever,
: and that effort should be made at the
| earliest possible moment.
! "a Democratic party cannot be q
iparty Of negation: it must have a con
, struction programme. 1t must not on
J ly favor lcaguc OF nations but II
must have q plan for the election of
DELEGATES and q nolicv to be pursued
by these delegates. What plan can Il
Democratic nartv have other than one
that contemDlates the popular cleo
| ton OF those dc'e"Htes who in the IN
| f'un"ro thnv WI cvnrt will no Dcvt
| m imrort"rco 70 tho President him
~c1fo IVA whot rnliov con thc Dom~
"ratic ~""tv h""~ within the Toa~"..