The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-04-06
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT


That the United States Senate will
confer no dictatorship on President
Roosevelt, at least so far as interna-
tional affairs are concerned, was ev-
idenqed the other day by the outburst
of feeling which greeted the news
papers reports that the administration
would now insist that the much dis
cussed and much argued World Court
resolution be reported out of COM
mittee and passed. So great was the
| commotion that the sponsors of the
resolution postponed action in the
committee for a week, and serious
doubt was expressed by several Sena-
tors as to whether or not the Senate
would have a chance to vote on the
resolution during this session of Con-
gress.
The principal objection to spending
the time of the Senate with the World
Court just now is that there are so
many more important matters which
should be considered. With twelve
million Americans jobless, and great
many of the nations banks in the
hands of conservators, with rail and
farm problems yet to be solved, a
great many statesmen in both par
ties are of the opinion that the ques-
ton of whether or not Uncle Sam en-
tiers the League Court can we'll be left
for the future to decide. The League
of Nations has lost a great deal of
prestige during the past few months,
eliminating with the withdrawal of
Japan, which even the French, who
control the League, admit was "unfor-
tunate," and the League Court has
lost prestige along with the parent
body.
| Perhaps the most significant thing
about the newly developed opposition
to the World Court movement is the
fact that great deal of this opposi-
ton comes from Democrats and indie
pendents who supported Mr.. Roose-
welt very effectively during the 1882
campaign. Senator Hiram johnson,
of California, dean of Republican pro-
gressives, who aided Mr.. Roosevelt,
was outspoken in his opposition to
consideration at this time. Senator
James Hamilton Lewis, the cultured
Democratic Senate from Illinois, de-
clared, "This is no time to call up
League Court protocols. Events of the
world give warning to the United
States that it should go about its own
business and should make no alliances
or compacts to give other nations
voice of authority in directing af-
fairs of the United States"
| X
| Senator Dill, liberal Democrat, de-
clared of consideration of the World
Court resolution: "It can only lead
to confusion and delay economic re-
covery. 1t is my conviction that if
the question was submitted to a pop
ular vote, IS per cent of the Ameri-
can people would vote against it."
According to one newspaper, several
of the newly seated Democratic sena-
tors are against ratification of the
League Court resolution. Among those
specifically named were McCarran of
Nevada, Bone of Washington, Russell
of Georgia, Dieterich of Illinois and
Lonergan of Connecticut.
Washington political observers at
tached significance to an editorial
which appeared on the front page of
the Washington Herald, William Ran
dolph Hearst's morning paper in the
national capital, the day following
the announcement that the World
Court resolution was about to be taken
up and considered. The Hearst news
papers were among the most active
and consistent supporters of Roosevelt
and Garner in the 1882 campaign.
Under the caption "This Is No Time
for League Court Folly" the Herald
said:
"Senate Democrats will jeopardize
the success of the Roosevelt program
for the restoration of prosperity if
they attempt to jam through the rati-
fication at the present special session
of the League Court protocols.
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