The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-03-18
WorldCourt
MayBel924
Party Issue
Question of U. S. Pariicipa-
lion i'll International Body,
Broached by Harding, Per-
plexes Demo Leaders.
Key Held by Congress
by MARK SULLIVAN.

by MARK SULLIVAN.
\ question brought to the demo
cratic leaders by recent events, and
calling for the best of thought on
their part is: What position shall the
party take next year on the perma-
nent court of international justice
proposed by Harding, assuming that
should be still an issue? And what
stand shall the party take on the
whole field Of international relations?
At one extreme is the possibility
for the democrats to announce their
renewed adherence to the league of
nations as it exists and fight the cam
paign on the same lines as in 1920
At the less hazardous extreme is the
possibility for the democrats merely
to say that they favor the permanent
court of international justice pro-
posed by misunderstanding that in
stituton is still in debate.
In between these extremes is the
whole area OF possible variations Of
policy on foreign relations. And just
what place within this field to choose
for their platform is a question that
must give the democratic leaders deep
concern.
Depends OH Court Outcome.
Much, Of course. depends on what
happens TO Harding's proposal for
the permanent court in the next ses-
sion of the senate, beginning next
December. Much depends, also. on
other developments in the whole for
eien field between now and June Of
next year)
II the next session Of the senate
should adopt the permanent court,
and adopt it fairly soon after the. be
ginning Of the session, that of course
would remove this particular institu-
ton as an issue. But if there should
develop fight on this question. pe-
tween two wings OF the republican
party led by Harding and johnson
respectively. that might make an ex-
celleHt and promising openins .D' he
democrats. In all respects the demo-
cratic position viii be made COM
Portable II the republicans develop a
split on the court.
But omitting that possibility, the
democrats face the necessity of
which shall provide a sufficient eoa-
trast with the republicans which shall
be sufficiently close to the out-and
out league of nations position to sat
isfy the strong league democrats and
at the same time be sufficiently diff
ferent to avoid the odor of disaster
that attended the league issue in
1920.
In facing the problem one OF the
chef embarrassments that faces the
democrats is inherent in the question
uf what Wilson viii do himself and
what he will want the party to do.
Tho common assumption, among the
party leaders aad among the public as
we'll is that Wilson Is for the league
Of nations, that he IS for it in the
shape in which he brought it home
from Paris and in that shape only,
and that he believes the league I'm Its
unmodifled form to be the only
fueans of bringing the world out OF its
troubles.
That. I say. Is the common assump-
ton. 1t puts a fear in the hearts and
an inhibition on the minds Of rsany
of the most prominent democratic
leaders. Many Of them believe that a
declaration for the league IN an un-
modified form, IN the same form in
which It was an issue in 1890. would
lie a mistake.
At the same time they believe the
party ought 10 go on record in favor
of the league modified by reserya-
tions. One Of the ablest and most
loyal democratic leaders in the coun-
try--one who is loyal both to his
party and also to the league as an
issue-said TO the writer: II should
Ike to come out in favor of modi-
fled league but ! am afraid Wilson
might "ba&l me out"
What Wilson-~would do about that
and the whole question Of what Will
son believes should be the party plat
form on foreign relations. IS, obvl-
ously, thing wholly within the boun-
darles Of MIR. Wilson's own heart and
mind The present writer has been
told that Wilson Is not so unreason-
able NJ this assumption on the part
of tho other leaders would imply
that Wllaon recognizes the weight of
events in recent history, and that he
would not object 10 a party platform
which should. take account Of the
water. that has gone over the dam
since he first brought the league home
from Paris.
Wilson's Viewpoint Needed.
However. this il a field in which no
writer can pretend 10 be exact, and
in which no party leader can afford
10 take n newspaper statement as
justification for action on his part.
sooner or later, the party leaders
nust get together with Wilson and
learn from his own lips whatever
contribution he cares to make toward
judgment as TO what the next demo
cratic platform on foreign relations
should be.
One thing Is clear: eliminating VIII
Bon as being incapacltated by tho
state Qf his health, the one democratic
leader who Is today the most out.
standing spokesman Of the league Of
nations is Cox Of Ohio. 1t would be
within the truth--in fact Il is rather
called for--to say that Cox is the most
courageous democratic spokesman IN
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