The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-22
LAFoLLETTE TRIPS HIMSELF


 In a recent speech Senator LaFollette took occasion to cast aspersions upon the Versailles treaty, saying: "We progres- sives will be in position to use our in fuence to bring about a revision of the Treaty of Versailles, which now rests it's dead hand upon the body of Europe. It heartedly with the liberal governments of the world to outlaw war, to abolish cor ruption, to reduce to purely defensive basis naval, aerial and land ornaments, and to place in the hands of the people of every country the decision upon the declaration of war. It will mean the end of war and the dawn of peace for all the world" This statement is so inconsist- ent that it is incredible that it's discrep- ancies should have escaped the attention of their author. One finds it easier to doubt LaFollette's sincerity.
 In the first place, MT. LaFollette de- nounces the very treaty that established the League of Nations, which is now sue cessfully far on the, road to accomplish that universal peace which MT. LaFoilette promises his followers. The thing that laid its "dead hand upon the body of Europe" was not the Treaty of Yer sailles, but German obdurance and French insistence which conspired to nullify the provisions of that treaty. If the treaty had been faithfully carried out by all parties thereto, Europe would now be prosperous and thriving, instead of being yet in the early dawn of re- covery from the disorganization produced by war and its aftermath.
 MT. LaFollette would "co-operate wholeheartedly with the liberal govern ments of the world," yet MT. LaFollette is on record as being unalterably opposed to the very program to which the liberal governments of the world have already solemnly subscribed, namely, to the carrying out of the provisions of the League of Nations. MT. LaFollette could not wholeheartedty cooperate with the liberal governments of the, world unless he should repudiate his record and open. ly espouse the League of Nations. But Mir. LaFollette refuses to do that, and he knows that to do so would be to admit that his whole conduct of the past six years has been grounded on error. Therefore, Mir. LaFollette's words are at direct variance with his record and his previous professions. Of course, it may be ythat Mr. LaFollette is referring to Russia when he speaks of the Liberal of the world," but he may even lose Russia from the category if the suggestion of MT. MacDopald is car ried out, that Russia be admitted to the league.
 There is no party that is not commit ted to a general world policy of peace and disarmament. But MT. LaFollette begs the question when he proposes to reduce armaments to "purely defensive basis' Does he mean to insinuate that a reduction for this nations armament on land, sea and in the air is in order? Does he mean to say that this nation maintains more than a mere defensive armament? Would he make bold to de- clare that this nation even maintains an armament up to the minimum set by experts as necessary to our proper de- fense? If he should so maintain, he would be still more glaringly at outs with the facts. And yet, that is the impress sion he evidently seeks to convey.
 The truth is that LaFollette admin istration would have no reason to expect welcome among the leading powers of the world. He has been one of the most aggressive opponents of the program of peace and world disarmament, which the nations of the world have so eagerly em- braced in their league decisions. The only way in which LaFollette adminis- tration could enter into the deliberations of the powers on peace and disarmament would be for him to recant his opposi- ton to the League of Nations and to the Treaty of Versailles, which he has just denounced, and which Lave just tri- umphed through the universal acceptance of the experts plan for the rehabilita. ton of Europe. And if MT. LaFollette, in order to put his campaign pledges into effect, must repudiate his former record, what reason is there for any public confidence in MT. LaFollette? The more he says, the more he demonstrates why the people should reject him.