Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-29
REPUBLICANS ARE
AFRAID TOANSWER
CANT AIGN ISSUES
Florida Senator Says Mem
bcrs Of G.. 0. =. Cannot
Face Heavy Artillery.
EARS TO GROUND HAVE
HEARD THE RUMBLlNGS
Fletcher Says People of Nation
Have Learned for Them
selves Important Facts.
BY DUNCAN 4. FLETCHER,
United Stnfcs senator From F-forIdu

United S,nics senator From FiorIdn.
,Wri;ten for Universal Servicc)
WASHINGTON. August 2S.--It ap-
pears the Republicans are not SO ju-
huant over the prospect OF :, death
STapplc on I'll. issue OF: shall we 20
IN or shall we stay OUT
They, hare had their ears TO tho
ground and the oin!nous rumb!ings
disturb them much.
From their outposts and p!ckcts
evidently comes the warning that the
people arc not in sympathy with their
idea that an honorable man may join
forces with friends in fight and
abandon them when the time comes
for settling the s.naEcs and arriving
at Il clear understanding
The people are ali the more opposed
to such conception OF responsibility
ANA duty when they are assured by
~" Republican candidate that his
purpose is 10 play lone hand from
now on. ignore our partners who per
formed tneir loyal part TO tho finish
ng hours, and MAKE our own separate
terms with The zoe, in our own IN
tercst ana without regard TO our
associates or others.
Republican Plan.
Rush 10 a separate settlement get
/ the best tcrms We can. wash our
hands OF the whole business as II IL
had been dirty throughout, forget II
AL az - nightmare as quickly as pos
sib!e. and get back 10 comfort and
non"y-making Is the Republican
plan.
What a program for an unselhsh.
patriotic people. whose high aim was
10 do their noble part TO sava de-
mpcracy 10 the world ana reach by
solemn. binding cornpnct the point
/ whcr" never again would IL be pos
sIb!e for any autocratiI. power o, mil
itary clique TO
Pour the swee, milk OF concord
tproar the universal peace,
And confound all unity on earth"
D. - L.
sion Of democracy, bringing a frcer.
fuller life to the peoples OF the earth
ana advancing International accord.
are matters OF Indifference TO them.
Plainly, too. Republican friends
are being advised that the people
have been studying the league OF
nations covenants themselves. and
I the: have learned that some OF tho
/ Tor partisan, political effect, are pos
tive Misrepresentation.
They have discovered by their own
Investigations that there Is no truth
in the statement. for instance, thar
The league or the council could order
our boys in the army or navy 10 dis
iant portions OF the earth 10 tight the
battles OF foreign people
hay. before me an editorial IN
reputable newspaper which purports
10 set forth. Article - OF the cove
nant IN fun. and then proceeds TO
comirent on IL, urging the contention
Just mentioned. Il actually gives
only the frs; sentence OF the article,
ana omitS entirely the second, which
is:
In case OF any such aggression or
IN case Of any threat or danger of
! such aggression. the council shall
advise upon the means by which this
obligation snail be fulfilled"
Authority "to Advise"
Whcr" is there any authority in the
! council or assembly to cal! out the
army or navy. or both. or any or all
L ha tr1.4 h..rr g,F
The authority simply Is TO advise
upon the means by which this obli-
cation is TO be fulfilled"
The people are coming 10 under
created taking the authority from
Congress, and Congress alone. under
the Constitution, TO declare war and
to raise and engage the army and the
or contemplated under the terms OF
the league OF nations covenant.
1t Is equally ridiculous and false to
state that our boys may be ordered
by the council or assembly or any
other agency to foreign lands for
military service.
Hence our Republican friends would
like to direct their attention to some
other question.
They propose to attack the ad-
ministration.
Would DriittIe Rcault.
After the most marvellous perform
ance in marshalng the military
forces OF the country and assembling
us resources for the successful wag-
ing and winning OF the most gigantic
war in history. they would beiittlc
that accomplishment and shed tears
over the result!
After a leadership by the executive
which made him the foremost fig
placed the United States in the posi-
ton OF the commanding moral power
for the welfare of humanity. they
minimize his work and bring into
question his high purposes.
After the enactment OF the most
vital. beneficial and efiicacious legis-
lation that was ever placed on the
| statute books. score of construc-
tive measures without which we could
not have waSed. much less won the
war, through the energy. statesman
Congress. they would assail the adj
ministration in an effort TO deny
| credit where ii is due.
They would make the favorite
charge of incompentency
Hero again they Will be found
shifting ground. j suspect. for no
sooner have they launched on that
course than great world crisis has
ministration's ability to handle in
ternational as well as national pcob-
lens OF the gravest character Is
made our friends are constrained to
customary critical course. They re-
fer to Secretary Colby's note of tho
10th. outlining our attitude toward
the Russo Polish struggle. as amer
ica's great utterancc." One of the
critics Of tho administration de-
scribes THIS State paper as "a note
destined to stand as another great
landmark in the course OF American
history"
1t looks like our Republican friends
arc about due 10 shift TO some other
question which they Will hope to put
forth as the issue.
Would Avoid Direct Issue.
Tho truth is, they are unwilling to
stand OH any specific Issue. They
hope 10 ayoid the direct issue. They
wish to be permitted to. general,se-
cover everything and touch nothing"
Play OH any string that will please
any ear. They proceed on the idea
that the question Is not what princi-
| pie or policy Is involved. but what
will catch votes.
cannot account inSany other way
U -. ~ H. L. -... n