Evening star., 1924-06-29
BAKER ST|RS TEARS
IN VAIN FOR LEAGUE
Delegates Give Ovation for
Straight Approval Plea,
But Vote mo"
RABBI WISE'S TALK LIKED
Convention, However, Follows Ma
jority Report on Platform
by Decisive Vote.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 2S.-Defeated in
the platform committee, where he
asked for the adoption of Wilsonian
plank on the league, Newton d. Ba-
ker of Cleveland, the dead Presidents
Secretary OF War, made one of the
most emotional appeals ever heard
in national convention this after
noon. but was decisively beaten.
Next to my duty to my God and
my responsibility to my family" he
said, there is nothing in my life
that compares with the league of ma
tions.
The man who ought to be pleading
this cause here is dead. calling from
conSecrated ground"
Scoring the majority plank in de-
tail as being composed of provisions
which would lead to nothing, Mr.
Baker exclaimed:
Calls Referendum IIIcguL
After all these honeyed phrases
of praise for the league" he said
there is not a syllable in this plank
that says We should go into the
league until after an illegal pre-
posterous. revolutionary referendum.
What they propose is that the
league be lifted out of party politics
and deposited nowhere. They place
US in position where the Republi-
cans can say. -Four years ago the
Democratic party was for the league:
now they are neither for it nor
against it; they are affectionately
disposed, but not disposed to matri-
mony.'"
Detailing the steps that must be
taken under the referendum plank.
the speaker called attention to the
provision that the vote should be
taken after full consideration, by
the President. Congress and the peo-
pie at the polls.
And then. when all of that is
over he said. and my son is dead
on battlefield from which | am
trying to keep him, perhaps we shall
Join the league-after full consider
alton"
The convention applauded and Mr.
Baker continued
Speaking "to Humanity
I am not speaking to Democrats.
am speaking to humanity. | have
sat over in that room at the hotel
across the street listening to talk
about party eXpediency until I am
sick. and I'm speaking now about
matters, not of politics, but of life
and death"
Ihere was another long outburst
or cheering when the former Secre-
tary declared the committee ma
Jor1ty was attempting to "substitute
the leadership of Henry Cabot Lodge
Tor that of Woodrow WILSON," and he
got another ovation when he declared
the trouble with the senator's on the
plattorm committee, who had taken
the other side of the discussion, was
that they have been in the Senate so
long they can't think.
'Whep 7 m ba
ator Lodge. he said, Il am not speak
ing of an individual, but of malevo-
lent institution"
The delega tes liked it and cheered
again.
Who Will Back League.
Who's, going to present the cause
Tor the league in this postal rd
referendum" Mr.. Baker asked. THE
Republican party is opposed to it.
and the Democratic party is afraid
to touch it for fear they will taint it
with partisan stain
But what would the Republicans
say about this plank? I can see the
headlines of the Republican news
papers tomorrow morning saying, if
we adopt this plank. 'Democra tic
convention repudiates Woodrow Will
SON. l can see him looking over my
shoulder now at this plank, and you
all can see upon his face that fine
contempt that he would feel for that
kind of appeal.
This is not the kind of leade rship
that was taught US by Woodrow Will
son.
When the nominee of this conven-
tion, whoever he may be. is asked
after the convention whether he is
in favor of the league of nations, if
he says No then the traditions of
Woodrow Wilson are gone; If he says
Yes then the reply will be We'll,
your party was not afrail Thank God
they have nominated a man
But my plank, the plank of the
minority, is easily explained. 1t sim
ply means that we shall go into the
league.
II am a mddle-aged man. I am be-
yond military age. But on the bat
tlefields of France I have closed the
eyes of American soldiers, dying for
their country, with but two wishes in
their heart-that their mothers might
know how they died and that some
one might do something that would
keep others in the future from their
bloody fate.
And l swore an obligation to the
dead that, in season and out, 1 would
lift up my voice until their sacrifices
were perfected.
Speaks Word Of Wilson.
IT served Woodrow Wilson for
hve years. He is standing at the
throne of a God whose approval he
deserved and won. And as he looks
down, I reply, L am doing my best.
You still are the captain of my SOUL
And that great leader is saying
through me, Garry on. Do Americas S
duty to herself and to mankind.'",
When the speaker concluded, many
of the women in his audience were
dabbing their eyes with soaked hand
kerchiefS and tears courSed down the
cheeks of some of the oldtimers who
had sat through many fervent
platform fight without seeing such
another appeal to the emotions. Many
of the delegates rose and cheered.
The standards of several states were
lifted up and carried up and down
the center aisle, and for several min
utes the hall was in an uproar of
applause.
It was revived by the appearance on
the platform of Rabbi Stephen S.
Wise to second the appeal of Secre-
tary Baker He denounced the ref
erendum as "subterfuge" and de-
clared that "the only referendum the
party needs is candidate standing
squarely on the league of nations"
Will Save U. s. Honor.
Il have heard it said" he contin-
ued. that we must decide the
league question so as to save the
face of this man or the fortune Of
that man. But the only decision we
need is the decision which will save
the blighted honor of America
"I am a Woodrow Wilson Demo-
crat The Republican party has
Lincoln. but propose that the Demo-
cratic party remain the party of
woodrow Wilson. II at the, behest
of compromise and surrender we
strike Woodrow Wilson down anew,
I remind you that once before he
was stricken down by his enemies.
hv,t m q ~ "a o. on