The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-03-23
..FACT ONE'' IS NO FACT

Clever but misleading is the description
which might very properly be accorded to state
ments set forth by well know writer who is
trying to build up public sentiment in behalf
of Che League Of Nations. Under the little
l"Fact One, he says Republican voters
themselves for nearly two years had urged
that we enter the League of Nations, either
without reservations, with mild reservations or
with the Lodge-McCumber compromise reser-
vations"
This two year period during which The Re-
publicans are alleged to have urged that the
United States enter tbs League, ended with
the November election 1920. Manifestly the
Republican voters had urged no such thing,
for the terms of the League of Nations were
not known for two years prior to that time. In
an indefinite way it was known in March 1919,
that President Wilson would endeavor to COM
nit the United States to League Covenant
the nature and terms of which were at that
time indefinite Certain it is that the people
were not urging that we enter a League the
character Of which they did not know.
The attitude of the Republicans of the Sen
ate Of whom Warren G. Harding was then one,
was in favor of an immediate negotion OF a
treaty fpeaee with Germany and desire that
there should later be united action on the part
of the nations Of the world in an effort ITO pro-
mote peace and general disarmament" If the
expression of opinion of public men among the
Republican leaders of the country and by Re-
publican editors and by Republican Senators
and Congressman may be taken as an lndlca-
ton of. what Republicans generally believed,
this was the policy that was being urged by
the Republican voters. That it was their opin-
ion is further indicated by the fact that after
the League of Nations had been voted down,
the people of the country elected Mr.. Harding
by a. sev en- million plurality and returned a
q Republican majority of unprecedented proper
lions in both Houses of Congress.
The fact is that the people of the country
were for peace and reduction of ornaments.
So far as they urged our participation in a
League of Nations, that was their sole object.
Not at any time did any considerable number
of either Republicans or Democrats favor 60
ing into League of Nations such as Wilson
had described and which would call upon us to
make the supreme sacrifice.
1t is true that there were many Republican
Members of the Senate who voted for ratifica-
ton of the peace treaty with the League of Ma
tions covement included, provided certain re-
servations were adopted. That was not, how
ever, because of any conviction on their part
that it would be wise for us to enter the league
even with the reservations attached thereto
Republicans like all others, desired the ratifica-
ton of treaty Of peace. They were willing to
make many compromises in order that they
might vote for the ratification of such a treaty
President Wilson having persisted in his de-
termination to Intervene the League of Ma
lions covenant with the treaty they were will
ing to make some concessions in order that they
might possibly thereby hasten both actual and
technical peace between Germany, the Allies
and associated nations Most of those who vot-
ed fol-. the League with reservations did it with
reluctance but in the belief that the reserva-
lions would probably amply safeguard the
rights and interests of the United States
A REFRESHING INCIDENT