The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-27
DEMOCRATS
GOING AFTER
LODGE SCALP
See Chance to Get Even for
Attack on League of Nations
No Feeling Against Presii-
dent Harding.
TREATY NOT TO FAIL
By MARK SULLIVAN

created by the treaty, and no one who
talks with them can fail TO sym
pathize. They say if they pass up"
the opportunity to make political cap
ltal out of Harding's awkward situa-
uon they Will merely be penalizing
themselves, and they have little faith
in the likelihood of getting any of the
rewards of virtue practiced merely for
it's own sake.
The points the Democrats make
don't go to the soul of the treaty.
Most of them in their hearts feel that
the treaty is mostly good and ought to
be ratified. The thing they talk
about is the comparison between the
iorbearance which they are asked to
practice now and. on the other hand,
the advantage which the Republicans.
took of every possible slip that vii
son made in connection with the
League of Nations.
The Democrats remember how
Lodge and the other Republicans
cross-eXamined Wilson, how they took
advantage OF every occasion just like
The present one, when something came
out by accident that Wilson had failed
to tell
SJ''Pdti'<lH9 WIN "HSSV
If the Democrats could see some
clear way of making the most of their
opportunity to bedevil Lodge and
Harding without at the same time i'm
perilling the treaty, they would go TO
II with all the heartiness of embit-
tered men presented by fate with
wonderful opportunity for unique re-
venge. The Democrats in the senate.
with the exception of a very few like
Reed have devoted affection for
Wilson, and a righteous and wrathfltl
sense of the cruelties practiced upon
him. That affection is increased
every day by the manner in which
Wilson now comports himself and by
the appealing picture his situation
makes
Wilson himself. by the way. does
nothing 10 stimulate the indignation
which leads the Democrats to think
strongly of seeking revenge for the
wrongs that he as their leader has
suffered Every once in a while it is
said that Wilson is advising the Demo-
Gratis to this course or that. The fact
is that, so far as Wilson has any con-
facts with the Democratic leaders, he
does not counsel them to q new course
of embarrassment to Harding.
Wilson Attitude
II would be true to say the con-
trary Soon after Harding was in
augurated it was common gossip that
Wilson said TO one of his friends that
he was going to show Harding how
an ex-president ought to behave.
The fact is, Wilson has been affirmc-
lively helpful to the Republican ad-
mipistration in the difficulties it has
about foreign relations. The more re-
sponsible Republican leaders know
this and appreciate it.
| have talked with several of the
comparatively few persons who have
had any contact with Wilson about
the Republican program on foreign af-
fairs and have never head him quoted
rs saying anything except what was
designed to be tolerant and helpful.
\ fair translation of what Wilson
has said to his fellow Democrats is
that if the Republicans can find a
better way than his they should be
Dermitted to do so without embar-
rassment: that if his way was best,
then the world will come to it in due
curse, that if some other way is best,
everybody ought to help towards find
ing it. and putting it in practice.
May Go After Lodge.
OF course. Harding and Lodge-and
especially Lodge-need not expect to
come through their situation without
many painful experiences. 1t Is Lodge
more than Harding that the Demo
Gratis will go after. The Democrats
recall that while Harding opposed the
league. he never participated in the
maliciously cruel batting of Wilson.
They feel that while Harding was the
beneficiary of the campaign which
many Republicans carried on against
Wilson Harding personally never took
part in it, but always played the part
of a decent foe.
Rut Lodge the Democrats look upon
AZ A horse of another color. They
know that Lodge hated Wilson and
wallowed in his hate with open Teck'
lessness. In the same degree. the
Democrats now hate Lodge, and they
will make the most of their chance to
treat Lodge now as Lodge treated
Wilson two years ago
What Lodge Said
Lodge has been reported during the
mast few wears as saying that the
present treaty-his treaty-must &c
through the senate without reserVa
tions. You can imagine how the Dem
ocrats feel about a dlcIum IKE 'ha'
coming from one who, in the Lea&u'
of Nations debate. showed himself the
champion reservator of the universe
There will be reservations to tht
treaty or changes in it, and Lodge
when he defends this treaty on th'
senate floor will have some experience
not hitherto equalled, even in caree
as crowded with acrimony as his ha'
been.
The Democrats are not going u
ignore any such superb opportunity al
they now have for sarcastic devilmen
OF Lodge, and Harding. and the who'll
aggregation of Harding's best minds.
Many of the Democratic speeches OF
the treaty will be in the general tenor
II shall vote for the treaty, but
The fact that the Democratic leader
Oscar Underwood, is for the momen
one of the best minds" wouldn't hell
Harding any Underwood has littl'
control over the senate Democrats. II,
Is daily lessened in their esteem o
Continued on Page Twelve)