The Washington times., 1922-11-13

paign or not. They Will 30 'h'o '"@
league anyway.
This Is perfectly clear from tmeir
behavior at the present time, ine
league was not an issue IN this las'
recent election. In only a 1ew scat,
tered spots did the rival cahoiuates
fight any battles at all on the ieague
as a declared and admitted issue. Inc
Democrats made their gains In this
last recent election on domestic is'
sues. Nevertheless In washington
at the present time there Is nothing
clearer than the following fact:
The Democrats regard 1t as their
conscientious duty to use their new
strength to propel the United states
toward participation in world affairs
through the league.
The United States accordingly, In
1924, may elect Democrats In order
to get some reform in washington.
ID. C.. and may wake up to find
itself engaged in reforming the
world from Geneva, Switzerland.
Moreover, the prospect now includes
the possibility that the United
States, in 1924, might actually. defi-
nitely instruct the Democrats 10 ap-
ply for American membership In
the Geneva international organiza.
ton. This possibility emerges from
the use which the Democrats are
going to make of what they call Mr..
Hughes negative" policy toward
the revival of American trade in
Europe.
There can be no doubt, Of course,
in E,nrnna
very much smaller today than 1t
would be il Europe were stabilized
and regenerated. That is a mani
fest and obvious fact. There Is big
money to be made by America. in
Europe if Europe were politically In
good health. and thereupon also in
dustrially and commercially in good
health. The Democrats are going
to say, to the American business
man:
"You would be much richer II
Europe were well. The Republicans
are making no progress at all to.
ward causing Europe to be well.
They do not know how to do 1t. We
do know how to do it. Put us In
office and we will go to Geneva and
transform Europe from a battle
field into a garden of industry and
into a vast brotherhood Of busy
workers and traders; and these
traders will buy your American
products and you will become 80
rich that you will never want to be
Q Republican again"
That is the Democratic plan. The
Democrats used, to dwell on the
idealism of the league, and Mr..
Woodrow Wilson still uses only
idealistic language in talking about
II; but the true propaganda Of the
Democrats on the subject Of the
league, from this time forward, is
going to be a commercial propa.
ganda. They are going to endeavor
to prove that the league will be q
money.maker for America.
I think IL safe, therefore, to
prophesy that IL the Republican Ad.
ministration Is earnestly and ef'
fectively desirous or remaining in
office after 1924 II will now present.
ly begin to try to prove that II is
able to revive American trade IN
Europe without the league. It will
begin 10 take a closer interest In
the development of European finance
and industry and commerce. 1t will
be saying to itself:
"If we do not make Europe solvent
without the league, the Democrats
will come and make 1t solvent with
the league"
They will do this under the men
ace Of the shadow from the house
on 8 street where the figure OF
woodrow Wilson is from time to
time exhibited to crowds of cheer
ing and cheered admirers. Two
persons who stood close to Mr.
Wilson when he made his speech
on s. street last Saturday have told
me, about his present state OF
health. One of them says that Mr.
Wilson has regained his full mental
yigor and Is completely his old self
The other says that Mr.. Wilson's
physical weakness is pitiful to con
template. I believe that the truth
IN that Mr. Wilson is still much dis
abied in his body but still has made
enormous strides toward being once
more completely well and thoroughly
active and aggressive In his mind.
He is still physically down. but he
II mentally up.
No one need have any doubt as
10 what he will do with his re.
gained mental power. He will de-
vote II to pushing the United States
into the League; and the Republi.
cans admit that his voice In still
heard and needed by great multi
tudes of followers. The Republi
cans therefofe viii wish to out.
play him by proving to the United
States not only that the League is
politically dangerous but also com
mercially unnecessary.
In order to prove II commercially
unnecessary they will have to be
Very much buster In promoting
American interests in Europe than
they have been In the past. They
will have to show a new and in.
, creased activity in European. affairs
at the points at which those affairs
are important to American pros.
perity Such seems to be the In.
evitable result of the revival OF the
Democratic party and OF the revival
Of Woodrow wilson-in case the
Republicans are alert to the danger
thus raised before them.