The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-06-02


The same issue of the Globe-Dem-
ocrat contained the following editor
ial, dealing with the candidacy of
Senator James A. Reed for renomina-
ton in the democratic party, Aug. list:
"Is Reed Right or Wrong"
"The test is" said Senator Reed in
his speech ut Springfield Monday, moi
whether ] agreed with the President
but whether / was right or wrong"
That, indeed, Is the test. We have
never had any quarrel with Mr.. Reeds
independence of thought or action.
We are independent ourselves, and
take orders from no man or no party.
One, who is elected to an Office call
ing for the exercise of craftsmanship
should be judged primarily by his
Judgment, as It is expressed in his acts.
Was Mr.. Reed right or wrong? If he
was right the Democratic party was
wrong. There Is no escape from that
conclusion. Mr.. Reed is going about
the state telling the people that he
opposed the demands of the Wilson ad-
ministration for n great standing army
and navy, for universal military ser
vice, after the world war, and for the
acceptance of mandate over Armenia
And he asks his hearers if they would
have supported these proposals. OF
course, they answer NO. and he in
terperts this as public approval.
As matter of fact, there were not
party issues. The Secretary of War
presented recommendations proposed
by the general staff MS to the estab-
lishment Of the army on peace foot
ing. This was not an administra-
ton demand" nor did Wilson give 1t
active support. The Republican Con-
gress reOrganized the army and navy
according to its own ideas Of right,
and its work was approved by VIII
son. The President asked Congress to
accept mandate for Armenia, but
with no expectation that it would be
granted. and he did not press the mat
ter. These questions did not make
ripple In public interest. There was
never the slightest chance of the adop-
ton of the department army program
or of the Armenian mandate. The
| Democratic platform of 1920 did not
| have word to say about army or
| navy organization and did not support
| an Armenian mandate, contenting H.
| self with recommendation that Am
| erica should render any proper aid
| to the Armenians, consistent with the
| constitution, to enable them to estab-
| lish a government Of their own.
Senator Reeds attitude on these
| matters had nothing to do with the
] anger that caused the Democratic
| party of Missouri to regulate MIN
in 1920. The issue between him and
| his party, does not rest upon the re-
latively unimportant acts which he
presents in detail in his plea, for sup,
port, but upon. the highly, important
| acts in opposition to, the primary de.
maIds,o OF the, party, discussion Of which
he now carefully avoids tIet bygones
be bygones," he has said Yet he de.
clares that the test is whether he was
right or wrong. Right or wrong on
what? On the small matters Of no par.
ticular interest, or upon the big ques
lions that were and are the core and
4 circumference of Democratic party
principIes2N0 man did more than Reed
to defeat the Democratic party In
1920 byeh his constant vigorous and
vituperatiye opposition to these prin.
ciples. Was he right or wrong In thisi
That, he says. is the test. n he
was right, we repeat, the party wa