The Washington times., 1937-08-05

BOake Carter
History Repeats Itself
Echoes of 1920
Stubborn Statesmen

IT is often very odd when read
l. ing a book dealing with past
events of history to sometimes
find how startlingly current
events are reflected therein.
I have Just finished reading
"The Autobiography of John
Hays Hammond" In a discus
sion of the history of the Senate
Woodrow Wilson fight over the
issue of America joining the
League of Nations I found this
passage:
The Senate, under the sus-
pension of its rules, voted to
reconsider the Lodge resolu-
ton. Mr.. Wilson remained OBJ
durate, however, and on
March 10 the Senate voted
to send the treaty back to the
President without its approval.
Wilson had resolved that the
Presidential canvass of 1920
should be a great and solemn
referendum" on the treaty.
Upon this issue his party Suf-
fered overwhelming defeat.
BY the mandate of that cleo
ton not only was the issue Of
the League of Nations buried
beyond hope Of resurrection,
but solemn warning was
served that no super Govern
ment which would involve,
even in a remote degree, the
derogation Of their national
sovereignty, would be toll
Grated by the American
people.
When I read that I could not
help thinking that the name
Roosevelt" might be simply
substituted for the name Viii
son; that Court Reorganization
Plan Bill" might be substituted
for the word treaty. And mas
much as Mr.. Roosevelt may
make an issue of the Supreme
Court in the elections Of 1888,
I wondered whether the Ameri-
can people may not slap him as
hard as they did Wilson. for at
tempting, like Wilson, to AFRO
gate unto himself and his super
Government the national SOW.
ereignty which still belongs to
the people.
Again we find this episode Of
three years later:
On Armistice Day, 1928, an
admiring throng gathered in
formally in front of the Will
son residence in Washington.
The ex-President appeared be-
fore them and imperturbably
avowed:
II am not one Of those who
have the least anxiety about
the triumph of the principles
I have stood for. I have seen
fools resist Providence before,
and I have seen their deStruc-
ton, and it will come upon
these again, utter destruction
and contempt; that we shall
prevail is as sure as that God
reignS."
AS Wilson, in his bitter stub
bornness believed all who dis
agreed with his principles were
fools" upon whom would de-
scend a heavenly destruction
and contempt" so has Franklin
Roosevelt bitterly denounced in
his fireside chats on the Su
preme Court, all those who have
opposed his ideas.
Gas a practical man." write!
John Hays Hammond, II hac
no sympathy with Wilson'S et
fort to avoid issues by phrases
such as too proud to fight ant
'watchful waiting I did no
question his high ideals as tt
world peace, but considered
them as not only unworkablt
but also unattainable."
It is odd that we find a NAL
who was one of Wilson's prote
ges, occupying the same chat
20 years later, evading issue
with such phrases as prince
of Privilege" "a Rendezvou
with Destiny" and None
Changers in the Temple" Their
is a vast army Of American cit
zens who do not question Roos'
velt'S high ideals for his M
tons welfare, any more tina
Wilson's ideals for world peaC
were questioned.
The point, however, thes
Americans who so question, r.