Americus times-recorder., 1920-05-16
S. F. CONVENTION
MAY REPUDIATE
WILSON'S STAND
Only Alternative Is Fight
Regarded AS Hope
less For Treaty Intact
BY H. N. RICKEY,
N. Z. A. Staff Correspondent.


WASHINGTON, May 15.-Those
Democratic leaders who hoped to
avoid finish fight over the treaty
and League of Nations at the San
francisco convention have been dis
appointed.
President Wilson's message to the
democrats of Oregon in which he de-
clared that the honor of the nation
required that the party give unuual-
med suppor to his treaty proposition
ratification without reservations
makes the issue perfectly clear.
The convention either must follow
MS lead and do his bidding in respect
OF the treaty or repudiate his leader
snip; There can be no compromise.
The situation which the presidents S
unylelding attitude has created is
most embarrassing to those who will
be charged with the responsibility of
writing the platform and nominating
the candidate at San Francisco.
What Wilson Asks.
Twenty-three Democratic senators
voted with the majority Republican
senators to attach the Lodge reserva-
tions to the treaty. The % included
every northern Democratic senator
but two.
The President now insists that the
national convention brand these SEN
ators as disloyal to the party.
When 1t is considered that with
few exceptions these senators are the
leaders in their respective states and
will have great influence in the con-
vention, it is difficult to overestipate
the bitter character of the struggle
which the President has precipitated.
Bryan, who will control at least a
strong minority in the convention,
opposes the Presidents position. He
lost no time accepting the Presidents
challenge in stateman in which he
characterized it as evidence of un-
sound judgment, due to Mr.. Wilson's
lack of information.
There is no doubt that Bryan's po-
sition is more nearly in harmony with
the majority of the Democratic lead
ership in and out of congress than is
the Wilson position.
A No-Hope Platform.
The plain truth is that there are
not dozen Democrats of leadership
class in the country who believe that
the party has the ghost of chance to
win in November on the issue of rat
flying the treaty and League Of Ma
tions without reservations.
In private conversation, almost
everv Democrat in Washington, even
those holding office under the Presi-
dent, admit this.
One of these leading Democratic
senators from northern state ex-
pressed the situation today like this:
"The President asks the party to
follow him on a course which will lead
to certain defeat. Our only possible
chance of electing our ticket this
wear is to emphasize domestic issues.
Yet to repudiate the President lead
ershin with the alternative of accept
inp the leadership of Bryan is like
jumping from the frying pan into the
fire
q lot of fun at the expense of the
Pennblicans because of the muddle
into which they have dragged them
selves in the primary fights: But the
Renub1ican situation is a happy one
compared with ours"
"Fr;enJlv CalP' Proposed.
The suggestion has been made,
+bat committee of party leaders,
wade nm of such men as Pomerene,
pbe1an, Pittman. Henderson, Walsh
of Montana. and others, call upon the
president and attempt to convince
b;ro +bat to persist in the course he
has has taken will wreck the party with
out forwarding the interests OF the
treaty. A.; I'LL bo
done however, as no one seriously pc
I;oves that the President could be
swoTved from his course even II ne
wonld receive such a committee.
"TT This may be said with certainty:
Thn hl' Situation among the northern
Democratic leaders is pregnant with
Dreafer possibilities of rebellion
ssreinet sreaSet the Presidents leadership
fban at any time during the eight
,rnars vn,r that he has ruled.
S'It' TO the f President follows up his
+roa+v 81 'lle demand by trying to force the
rlea;y .ra;y ofion of a man of his own
nonilt,''b nbninn sUcb man, for example, as
cno,ot. comotorv Of State Colby, the possi-
bilitv Of rebellion would become a
probability.
TNc Eo~~~A