The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-10-20
BALTIMORE LETTER
BY Wallace Bassford.
Special News Correspondent.

Washington, d. c., Oct. 1G.-Scn&-
tor Medill Mccormick, in 4 desperate
effort to draw public attention away
from high taxes, high living costs.
Newberryism, the huge deficit in the
Treasury, strikes, coal shortage and
other troubles, tries to raise the is
sue 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 4 wound as the
Newberrv scandal; now the thinking
people are astonished that Meteor
mick should bring up subject upon
which his party had such a record Of
taking. So far as the Democratic at
titude is concerned, it is recognized
that the election in November can
have no direct bearing on the for
tunes Of the League one way or an
other If the Democracy should lick
the platter clean in the coming cleo
tion it would be in no position II mi
tiate or carry through any desires il
might have in the matter Of the
League The Constitution gives 10 the
House of Representatives,. for con-
troll Of which the Democrats are
fighting. no voice in the determine
ton of our foreign policies exception"
in the matter OF declaring war. If the
Democrats should win all the Senate
seats in contest they could not con
troll that body. which the President,
who stands pledged to IN Association
of Nations, is. notwithstanding that
pledge, a bar to such Il union for
peace. a
How much more appropriate to ask
What is the attitude of the Republic
cans on the subject? Today that par
ty is in absolute control Of all
branches of the government. with
printed in black and white in the rec
ord pledge to 20 into the league Of
nations. The most absolute of all ;he
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 in
to a league Of nations was by CleCting
Harding to the Presidency. Among
the signcrs were Secretary of State
Hughes. Secretary Hoover, CX-SCre-
tary Root and former President TAFT
Can anyone believe that this state
ment was sent broadcast without
fullest consultation with Mr.. Harding
and the highest officials of the Re
publican National Committee? 1t is
rccollrctinu of this writer that Srna-
tor Mcdill Mccormick himself WIS
one of the immortal thirty-onc. Any
reasonable man would take the pOsi-
ton that that pledge is binding on
the President and his party i5ut no
one can see them making a move to-
ward carving it into effect. This
raises the question of sincerity. There
were many who at the time of its ut
terance believed it was merely uJii-
teal fake for the purpose Of holding
within the Republican party That
host of Republicans who had enroll
cd for the League under the leader
ship of Hamilton Holt. II was anoth-
er. OF The many bats the Republican
party had used to catch gudgcons -
and it caught a great many. If It did
not meet with the Presidents apprn-
val. he had Il strange way of show
ing his disp!casure. lie put Hughes
and lI0"vcr 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 a Senator? IN his message he