Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-23
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

~ speakers have the gall to ac-
cuse the democrats of having aban-
( doned the League Of Nations issue,
because they are not saying much
about it in this campaign. They
will hear plenty about it two years
from now when it will be a prac-
teal and live issue, as it is not
today. Our Washington CORE
spoHdent, Walter Bassford, very
p%ertinently points this out when
he says that Senator Medill Nc
Cormick, in a desperate effort to
draw public attention away from
high taxes, high living costs,
Newberryism, the huge deficit n
the treasury, strikes. coal short
age and other troubles, tries to
raise the issue of the League of
Nations. He taunts the democrats
with having dropped the league.
A few weeks ago the country
was astounded that Secretary
Hughes would reopen as foul a
wound as the Newberry scandal;
now the thinking people are
astonished that Mccormick should
bring up a subject which his party
has such a record of taking So
far as the democratic attitude is
concerned, it is recognized that the
election in November can have no
direct bearing on the fortunes OF
the league n way or another
If the democracy should lick the
platter clean ir the coming cleo
ton it would be in no position to
initiate or carry through any de-
sires it might have in the matter
of the league. The constitution
gives to the house of representa-
tives, for control of which the
democrats are fighting, no voice in
the determination Of our foreign
policies excepting in the matter
of declaring war. It the demo
Gratis should win all the senate
seats in contest they could not
control that body, which the presi-
dent, who stands pledged to an
Association of Nations, is, not
withstanding that pledge, a bar to
such a union for peace.
How much more appropriate to
ask, what is the attitude OF the
republicans on the subject? To-
day that party is in absolute con
troll of all branches of the gov
eminent, with printed in black ane
white in the record a pledge to &C
into the League of Nations. The
most absolute of all the recorded
pledges on the subject is the one
signed by thirty-onc of the mos
eminent republicans in the coun
try, printed all over the land jus
before the election of Harding
telling the people that the prope'
way to get into a league of ma
tons was by clecting Harding t.
the presidency. Among the slgner'
were Secretary Of State Hughes
Secretary Hoover, ex-Secretar!
Root and former President TAFT
Can anyone believe that this state
ment was sent broadcast withou
fullest consultation with MI
Harding and the highest official
Of the republican national com
rnittee? Tt is the recollection 0
this writer that Senator Medll
Mccormick himself was n O.
the immortal thirty-one. An
reasonable man would take tn
position that that pledge is bindln
on the president and his party
But no one can see them making
move toward carrying it into ct
feet. This raises the question g
sincerity. There were many VIII
1T the time Of it's utteranec be
lieyed it was merely a politics
fake for the purpose OF holdin
within the republican party thu
host Of republicans who had ct
rolled for the league under tn
leadership Of Hamilton Holt.
was another of the many bats tt
republican party had used to cate
gudgeons-and it caught a gre
many. If it did not meet wit
the presidents approval, he had
strange way of showing his dl
pleasure. He put Hughes ar
Hoover in the cabinet and Ia
on the supreme bench.
But after the president had go
ten his seat warm what did
have to say about the League (
Nations, for which he had vote
with reservations, when a senate
In his message he referred to II
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