Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-05
Will Lodge Be RemOVed?.
BY JOHN It. BOIFEUILLET

| | hear the reports from washington city tnat
efforts may be made by certain Republican
senators to retire Senator Lodge from the
| Craftsmanship of the committee on foreign re-
! lations.
Should this come to pass, Lodges expert
ence would be somewhat similar to that of
another Massachusetts Republican senator,
| Charles Sumner, who was deposed by his
| party as chairman of the committee on for
| eign relations. Sumner was noted Tor his un-
| wavering party loyalty, even as Lodge is
! known today as an uncomprOmislng, I'M
| swerving Republican. Sumner had been q
member of the senate for 20 years, and
when his party came into power at the COM
mencement of the Civil war he became chair
man of the committee on foreign relations,
| holding the position until his displacement
| 10 years later
Cruelty Struck Him Down
In 1871, the Republican majority in the
! senate committed, to use the words of James
| G. Blaine, IAN act of grave injustice" against
distinguished member of its own party, the
famous Massachusetts senator. Sumner, by
deposng him from the craftsmanship, be-
cause his words in debate in opposition to
the annexation of San Domingo were dis
pleasing to President Grant. Sumner de-
clared he intended no affront to the presi-
dent, but Grant insisted on his removal.
From the hour he was displaced as chair
Sumner held no craftsmanship, was mem
Der of committee, had neither a COM
mite room nor clerk. He felt bitter an
guish of spirit over the deep injustice of his
party associates, and would accept nothing
at their hands.
the Republican party owed more for it's
existence, yet it "cruelly struck him down."
Sumner declared that he considered the
Craftsmanship of the committee on foreign
relations the highest honor that could have
been conferred upon him by the United
States senate.
Douglas Treated With Indignity
Even as President Grant wanted Sumner
displacement as the head of the committee
on foreign relations, so President Buchanan,
in 1858, desired the dethronement of the
famous senator, Stephen A. Douglas, of IL
linos, as chairman of tho committee on
territories. The Republicans perpetrated the
wrongful act on Sumner and the Democrats
committed the unjust deed against Douglas.
| The Little Giant" as the renowned Doug
! las was popularity known, had rendered a
! splendid service of IS years as chairman Of
| the committee on territories, two years in
| the house and IL in the senate.
He was a leading Democratic candidate to
succeed President Buchanan. His party po-
! itical enemies and jealous foes Gin order to
| humiliate and degraded him. removed him
! from the Craftsmanship. This unfair and un-
| just act was accomplished in secret caucus
| While Senator Douglas was in Illinois debat-
| ing the abolition proposition with Abraham
| Lincoln. Douglas removal in it's indignity
was on a parity with the displacement of
| Charles Sumner chairman of the commit
! tee on foreign relations.
Same Opinion AS Southerners
! The excuse or explanation for supplanting
Douglas was he had expressed sentiments
! on the stump in his speech at Freeport to
! the effect that territorial legislatures could
! lawfully exclude 81 oi+ bxv,
| or unfriendly legislation" In this statement
| he only expressed the opinion of Jefferson
| Davis, Howell Cobb, Alexander H. Stephens
and other southern leaders. Howell Cobb
| said: The government of the United States
! should not force the institution of slavery
upon the people of either the territories or
other states against the will of the people -
James Buchanan, who was inaugurated
president shortly before the removal of
Chairman Douglas declared that "the people
! OF territory, like those of state, shall de-
eide for themselves whether slavery shall or
| shall not exist within it's limits.
When Bacon Became Chairman
When, with the ascendency of Woodrow
| Wilson to the presidency, the Democrats
! came in control of the senate in March, 1913,
Senator A. 0. Bacon, of Georgia. became
chairman. Senator Lodge was member
! OF the committee at the time. Always con-
splcuous in the Cenate, he has been partic-
| ularly prominent in matters appertaining to
| foreign affairs. He has been a senator in
| continuous service since March 4 1893
nearly 80 years. During Senator Bacon s
| Craftsmanship, l was secretary of the COM
| mIttee on foreign relations and it was an
! education for me to hear the discussions of
| senators Bacon and John Sharp Williams on
| the one side, and Senators Lodge and Elihu
| Root the other side.
Senator Bacon succeeded Senator Cullom
| OF Illinois, as chairman. Cullom was chair
| man Tor longer consecutive period than any
| man in the history of the senate. There were
two special men Of mark and power mem
! bers Of the committee during his chairman
| ship, namely-John c. Spooner of Wiscon-
| SIN, and A. O. Bacon, of Georgia. Spooner
| was one of the ablest lawyers and greatest
| statesmen who has served in the senate
! since the Civil war. Chairman Cullom
| thought him little too technical" but said
| that this disposition to magnify technical
tiles makes him one Of the most valuable and
useful members of the foreign relations COM
| mittee.''
In his published "reminiscences Senator
| Cullom says: when technical matters of
importance came before the foreign relations
committee, [ usually appointed Senator
! Spooner and Senator Bacon as a sub-com-
mlttee, as felt that anything that these two
might agree upon would be right, and would
be concurred in by the committee and by
| the senate as WE'LL
The Paramount Committee
Perhaps, i. is not too much to say that Of
all the committees of the senate that of for.
elgn relations may be placed first because of
| its close and confidential connection with the
| president of the United States, and the sec
rotary Of state, in all our international af-
fairs. The executive feels the pulse of the
senate through this committee regarding
such matters In 1916 the first~ standing
IcOY unfit oIo1