Iron County register., 1922-10-26

p6Opl6 are dStOuieucu tudt uCOOIuiOh
should bring up a subject upon which
bis party has such 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 one way or another. If the
Democracy should lick the platter
clean in the coming election it would
be in no position to initiate or carry
through any desires it might have in
the matter of the League. The Con-
stitution gives to the House of Repre-
sentatives, for control of which the
Democrats are fighting, no voice in
the determination of our foreign |
policies excepting in the matter of de-
claring war. If the Democrats should
win all the Senate seats in contest |
they could not control that body, |
which the President, who stands
pledged to an Association of Nations,
is, Notwithstanding that pledge, bar
to such union for peace.
How much more appropriate to ask,
what is the attitude of the Republi-
cans on the subject? Today that
party is in absolute control of all
branches of the government, with
printed in black and white in the
record pledge to go into the league
of nations. The most absolute of all
the recorded pledges on the subject
is the one signed by thirty one of the
most eminent Republicans in the
country, printed all over the land just
before the election of Harding, telling
the people that the proper way to get
into league of nations was by elect
ing Harding to the Presidency.
Among the signers were Secretary of
State Hughes, Secretary Hoover, ex-
Secretary Root and former President
Taft. Can anyone believe that this
statement was sent broadcast without
fullest consultation with Mr.. Harding
and the highest officials of the Repub-
lican National Committee? 1t is the
recollection of this writer that Sena-
tor Medill Mccormick himself was
one of the imm ortal thirty one. Any
reasonable man would take the posi-
ton that that pledge is binding on the
President and his party. But no one
can see them making move toward
carrying it into effect. This raises the
question of sincerity. There were
many who at the time of its utterance
believed it was merely political fake
the purpose of holding within the Re-
publican party that host of Republi-
cans who had enrolled for the League
under the leadership of Hamilton
Holt. 1t was another of the many
bats the Republican party had used
} to catch gudgeons-and it caught q
great many. If it did not meet with
the Presidents approval, he had a
strange way of showing his displeas-
ure. He put Hughes and Hoover in
the Cabinet and Taft on the Supreme
Bench.
But after the President had gotten
his seat warm what did he have to say
about the League of Nations, for
which he had voted with reservations
when Senator? In his message he
referred to the Administrations atti-
tude as rejecting the League coven-
ant and uttering that rejection to our
own people and to the world" Thus
the President kept the pledge giver
for him and with his full knowledge
and consent over the signatures o.
thirty.one of the most eminent Re-
publicans in the land. If the Presi
: dent was sincere in the language
Z. quoted from his address to Congress
(. what was he when he consented tt
the publication of the statement fro n
the eminent thirty one? And if they
1 were sincere, why are they all so quie
? and agreeable to the Presidents re
: lection of the League? They do no
3 howl in protest because the Presiden
D has put them in the position OF being
:. false prophets and fake promisers.
1t comes with very bad taste TO-
d Republicans like Mccormick, Beve
j, ridge and Adams to ask if the Demo
Gratis are still for the League--it i
very remindful of the worst politica
Q trickery known to the game. The,
0 have used that great plan for the ces
7 sation of wars as the gambler uses tn
4 little ball which he shifts about, frs
i under one shell, then under another
G and finally, when all the shells ar
9 lifted, 10! it is not there at all. Th
4 proponents, following the preaching
: of the Prince of Peace by the Sea 0
g Galilee two thousand years ago, CAV
:. heir best, some of them almost thei
- lives, to bring about at last that "peac
# on earth, goodwill toward men" TO
which He was born, lived, suffere
y and died in agony on the cross. bu