Evening star., 1923-07-29
SENATORS return,
MINDS UNCHANGED
Get Only Fuel for Fiery
| Speeches From Summer
Trips to Europe.
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.


Already it is apparent that the
great trek of our elder statesmen to
Europe this summer is not going to
solve any Of our foreign relations
problems.
Senator Oscar w. Underwood of
Alabama went to Europe a firm be-
lever in the league of nations, and
convinced that America should do her
part in assisting Europe to her feet.
Senator Unerwood has announced
that his trip strengthened all of these
views. He believes the United States
cannot but suffer from the chaos
across the water
Senator Hiram Johnson of Califor-
MIA went to Europe some five months
ago announcing himself as the arch
foe of the league of nations, the
world court and all international
machinations that might entangle the
United States in the quarrelS or the
woes of foreign lands.
Opposition Strengthened.
Senator Johnson has announced that
his trip strengthened all of these
views. He is more set than ever in
his opinions, due to what he saw and
heard on the other side. He thinks
the United States well "out of the
mess" and far as he is able to
90 IL, ne Is gong TO keep the CHileu
States out, Hoover. Harding. Hughes
ct al to the contrary notwithstand-
ing
There is no question but that
MesSrs. Johnson and Underwood are
two of the most brilliant members or
the upper branch of Congress Both
are men of high intelligence and
with a high grade of intelligence
goes the ability to observe the judge.
When these two men come nome with
i ~ hnV q
conditions abroad, what chance has
the poor man in the street 10 form
any sort of conceptions as to his own
or his ccuntry's duty in what is ad-
mittecly a world crisis.
Senators Underwood and Johnson
agree in cne thing. They both say
that Europe is in a bad way. They
knew that. however, before they
crossed the water.
The United States must abandon its
policy of Indifference and go in and help,
says Senator Underwood.
The United States must adhere to the
wisdom OF the forefathers and do moth
ing tnat would smack of ENHANCEMENT
In Europe, says Senator Johnson.
Many Tour Europe.
And that is just about as near as the
incoming Senate is going to get to a
settlement of the foreign policies of the
United States. 1t seems as though at
least one-third. if not one-half, of the
senators have been to Europe this sum-
Iner or have a tour in contemplation.
Each and every one of them has gone
with preconceived ideas and they will
all come back with these ideas un-
shaken
The pent-up wisdom of the ages is to
be loosed in the halls of the Senate the
coming winter and the forensic fury will
continue far into the presidential cam
paign next summer.
During the league of nations fight
senators who had never been to Eu-
rope and never expected to go. spoke
freely. to say the least, of their own
particular views and ideas as to
what Europe needed and did not
need-what Europe should do or
should have done and what she
should not do.
Now a large proportion of the sem
ators have hauled off and gone to
Europe. They have seen things at
first hand; they have talked and
walked with Europe. They are like
the little boy, who. after his first
day at school, was found with his
head in his hands, soliIoquizing:
MY God. how much 1 know"
Hard Battles Due.
All this means that there will be
many hard-fought battle on the
floor of the Senate from the moment
December until all the assembled
IacDuffs in the country cry out
Hold. enough" along toward the
ideS of next July. If senator's could
talk for two solid years without visit
ing Europe, what will the verbal
harvest be after all the migrations
to the other side this summer?
Already the senators who sailed for
Europe saying they thought the soviet
government in Russia should be
, recognized, are beginning to return
with the same, statement on their
lips.
Already the senators, who sailed
Vowing that to recognize the soviets
would be to engulf the world in a
blood red tide of trouble. are return
ing more convinced than ever that
their point of view, and theirs alone,
was the only correct one.
Old hands at the Capitol know that
debate in the Senate never changes a.
vote. But the debates go on just the
same, and this coming winter the
country is in for the greatest flood
of oratory that ever has flowed from
the sacred summit of Capitol Hill.
summing 1T all up. it would seem
that the effort to establish the peace
of the world is nearer to Sherman's
description of war than war itself.