Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-20

| nation-aud he made their spirit his
as far as it was humanely possible.
| He was a statesman because he
| spent years in studious and pene-
trating reflection upon the questions
Of foreign policy with which his
country had to deal.
"He was a statesman, because he
! knew the complexity of racial and in
| dustrial problems which are before
a people consisting Of the old time
| populations of colonial stock, side
| by side, and with the vast influx of
| immigration from all corners Of the
| world.
"He was what many would style a
conservative statesman. His res
pect for the constitution was pro-
| found and his abiding faith was that
| through the study of the constitu-
ton the broadcast and best principles
Of government could be learned.
| Senator Lodge was not sensation
| al. He possessed none of the acts of
| the demagogue. He was not me
teor in the political armament. He
made his claim for craftsmanship
upon worth.
| HE was a typical American. 1t
was Americanism deeply rooted in
our free institutions. He knew his
| tory; he had lived constantly with
| the fathers of the country. The large
ana permanent interest of the United
States was very sacred to him. and
| that interest he wished to promote
| and defend without finching and
: without fear.
His grasp Of international rela-
tions was so complete that he ap-
peared to sense the feeling of all ma
| tions toward each other. He SEEM
! ed 10 stand as an outpost on guard
| against all offenders of our national
| honor and purpose; and this, l imag-
| inc. would have been unchanged
even if he had not held the import
| ant position of chairman of the sem
ate foreign relations committee and
membership thereof for p years.
| He believed in n diplomatic policy
which should be at once without
! buster and without Cringing. Our
strength and position among the ma
: tions of the earth could be best
| maintained only coupled with justice
| and fair dealing.
| Ills knowledge OF treaties and
treaty making was extensive ard
most helpful to the Senate. No posi-
/ ton which he ever took was more
! bitterly assailed by some or more
| highly commended by others than
| his attitude on the Versailles treaty.
1.-The contest in the Senate over
| the ratification of that treaty arous-
ed and attracted the attention of the
| world as have few events in the long
history of the Senate. Senator Lodge
was in the midst of 1t. The position
of majority party leader thrust a
grave responsibility upon him.
The details of that conflict are
| fs,t
| onsm which it aroused should not be
rekindled by any word uttered today.
| But of him whose voice Is forever ST
! fenced it should lie said that he has
| n right to be Judged by his words.
! Who can doubt the honesty of his
convictions. his sincerity of purpose,
and his patriotism when he reads
from his brilliant and effective
speech in the senate on August IL,
1918, when he announced his opposi-
| ton to the covenant of a league of
nations.
/ ."During his long political career
| he was subjected. as other pubic
men have been, to personal and &C
! rimonious criticism, bearing at times
upon abuse. which followed him even
to his last days. His vote against the
veto of the adjusted compensation
bill brought forth scathing letters of
abuse from political friends and sup
porters of years. To him all this
was one of the ordinary burdens of
| political life. Why must it be ever
! thus? Why must labor in high places
| in a democracy like ours be SO fire.
| quently misunderstood and often
! misrepresented? Why is it one of
| the immovable trials of the public
| service? Unless a man is willing to
! stand up under it, he had better new
er accept office. TO be often put be-
| fore the public as trying to do the
very opposite of that which one is
strenuously striving to accomplish is
not of recent origin. Washington
and the early fathers did not escape
it. Lincoln encountered it to the
hour of his martyrdom. President
! Wilson and Senator Lodge were
/ among the more recent targets
What a pity that death alone
seems to end Misrepresentation
/ harsh. cruel, and -Christian-like
/ criticism of great souls who need in
, the public service all their nervous
ana physical energy to fight the
i forces of selfishness and greed that
F, are constantly throwing their infu-
ence into the shaping of legislation.
to oppose reckless expenditures, to
resist special privilege, and to stand
| guard against the power and influ-
ence of those who would crafty
| personal ambition to the disadvan-
tage of the common rights of the
, people.
Massachusetts. that Senator
| Lodge loved with the ardor which
characterizes the affection of all who
know her traditions and have lived
within her, has been more than gen.
erous in the men she has sent to
represent her in the senate of the
United States. They have been Sc
lected from among the ablest and
best of her citiznns rrheu h. We m ada