The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-08-07

open seas of the future sensed the
spirit of the hour and phrased it with
clarity and courage. It is not neces-
sary to read and re-read the demo-
cratic platform to know its meaning.
1t is document clear in its analysis
of conditions and plain in the pledge
of service made TO the public. It car
ries honesty of word and intent.
Proud of the leadership and achieve
ment of the party in war. democracy
faces unafraid the problems of peace.
Indeed, its pronouncement has but to
be read along with the platform franz
ed by republican leaders in order that
both spirit and purpose as they domi-
nate the opposing organization may
be contrasted. On the one hand we
see pride expressed in the nations
glory and promise of service easily
understood. On the other a captious,
unhappy spirit and the treatment of
subjects vital to the present and the
future, in terms that have completely
confused the public mind. 1t was
clear that the senatorial oligarchy
had been given its own way in the Sc
lection of the presidential candidate,
but it was surprising that it was able
to fasten into the party platform the
creed of hate and bitterness and the
vacillating policy that possesses. it.
In the midst of war the present sen
atorial cabal. led by Senators Lodge,
Penrose and Smoot, was formed.
Superficial evidence of loyalty to the
president was deliberate in order that
the great rank and file of their party,
faithful and patriotic to the very
core, might not be offended. But I'M
derenath this misleading exterior,
conspirators planned and plotted,
with bigoted zeal With victory in our
arms they delayed and obstructed the
works of peace. If deemed useful to
the work in hand no artifice for inter-
fering with our constitutional peace
making authority was rejected. Be
fore the country knew. yea, before
these men themselves knew the de-
tails of the composite plan, formed at
the peace table. they declared their
opposition to it. Before the treaty
was submitted to the Senate in the
manner the constitution provides, they
violated every custom and every con-
sideration of decency by presenting
copy of the document. procured un-
blushingly from enemy hands. and
passed it into the printed record of
senatorial proceedings. From that
hour dated the enterprise of throw
ing the whole subject into a techni-
cal discussion, in order that the pub
lie might be confused. The plan has
never been changed in its objective,
but the method has. At the outset
there was the careful insistence that
there was no desire to interfere with
the principle evolved and fornalized
at Versailles. Later. it was the form
and not the substance that professed-
ly inspired the attack. But pretense
was futile when proposals later came
forth that clearly emasculated the
basic principle of the whole peace
plan. 1t is not necessary to recall
the details of the controversy in the
Senate. Senator Lodge finally cry
tallized his ideas into what were
known as the Lodge reservations, and
when Congress adjourned these reser-
vations held the support of the So
called regular republican leaders.
From that time the processes have
been interesting. Political expediency
in its truest sense dwarfed every con.
sideration either of the public inter
est or of the maintenance of the
honor of a great political party The
exclusive question was how to avoid
rupture in the republican organiza-
tion. The country received with in
terest, to say the least. the announce
ment from Chicago. where the ma
tional convention was assembled, that
a platform plank. dealing with the
subject of world peace, had been
drawn, leaving out the Lodge reser-
vations, and yet remaining agreeahIs
to all interetss. meaning thereby. the
Lodge reservationists, the mild reser-
vationists and the group of republi-
can senator's that openly opposed the
league of nations in any form.
As the platform made no definite
NOIIili11Idl VI pOlIGy anu was Ill 1cCl,
so artfully phrased as to make al
most any deduction possible, it pass
ed Through the convention with prac-
tical unanimity. Senator johnson,
however, whose position has been
consistent and whose opposition to
the league in any shape is well known,
withheld his support of the conven-
tion's choice until the candidate had
stated the meaning of the platform,
and announced definitely the policy
that would be his, if elected.
The republican candidate has spok-
en- and his utterance calls forth the
following approval from Senator
Johnson:
Yesterday in his speech of accep-
tance Senator Harding unequivocally
took his stand upon the paramount
issue in this campaign-the league
of nations. The republican party
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