Evening star., 1945-07-02

the votes of a futile and feeble few
will be cast against. Anything like
a real fight by the bitter-end iso-
lationists is impossible. In the Sem
ate they have diSintegrated and
diminished almost to the vanishing
point. Isolationists no longer want
to stand up and be counted. Iso-
lationism, as the late Al Smith used
to say, is "out the window"
Such is the forecast of Senate
action. In view of the fact that less
than a year ago the principles upon
which this Charter is based were
incorporated in both Democratic
and Republican platforms and pro-
claimed by both presidential candi-
dates, no other result could reason
ably be expected.
Betrayed by Both in Past.
Nevertheless, neither Democratic
nor Republican party is entitled to
preen itself over this situation. So far
as the noble idea of an international
collective security organization is
concerned, both have bad records.
Both extoll it now, but each has
betrayed it in the past. Some of
the very leaders, who shout loudeSt
in its favor now, turned coldly away
when it was sick and in distress.
Some of those upon whom credit is
now being fulsomely heaped were
not its friends when it needed
friends. Some of them merely failed
in loyalty; others went in the oppo-
site direction.
The Republicans were the original
iSolationistS. From 1920 to 1914 their
party was distinguished by a ma
tionaliSm so narrow as to seem in
grained. In it were the most virulent
isolationistS in the country. They
were at home in that party, in
which, except for a few exceptional
men, no voice in favor of any form
of international cooperation was
raised for more than 20 years.
Not until the Nation had been
plunged into the Second World War
and public sentiment had turned
strongly away from the isolation
doctrine did the Republican party
shift-and then only after terrific
prodding by the late Mr.. Willkie
and one or two others. So belated
was its conversion that despite
platform declaration and presiden-
tial candidate Dewey's unequivocal
pledges, it was unable to create
complete confidence in its sincerity
on this issue during the last cam
paign.
Nor is the Democratic record much
better. Indeed, from one point of
view, It is really blacker, as the
League of Nations idea was first
sponsored and championed here by
a Democratic PreSident-Woodro
WilSon-and had been made the
outstanding Democratic doctrine.
Even after its Senate rejection by a
small group of isolationists, under
leadership, the Demo-
cratic party unanimously, in 1920,
reafflrmed its faith in the League
principle, pledging its "unalterable
devotion"
Yet, in 1924, it publicly and shame
leSsly deserted that principle, CAL
lousy repudiated its "unalterable
devotion" pledge, turned tail and
ran away from sheer fright of
blind nationalist sentiment that had
been fostered among the unthink-
ing by the demagogues and the
fools.
Bakers Speech Recalled.
Few who were present at the
1924 Democratic Convention in
Madison Square Garden, where this
betrayal occurred, will ever forget
the marvelously moving speech Of
the late Newton D. Baker in which
he pleaded with the Democratic
party ito preserve its honor" and
keep the faith" 1t was one of
the greatest convention speeches
ever made. He put everything he
had In it - physically, spiritually
and mentally. The convention
cheered him with vast enthusiasm
and then almost unanimously voted
against the platform Endorsement
for which he appealed.
1t was as degrading an example of
a political party forsaking its con-
victions as has occurred in our his
tory. Sitting in that convention as
delegates and joining in the act
were some of the Democratic leaders
now being greasily eulogized for
their answering devotion" to the
League cause, which is enough to
make anyone who knows the facts,
just little sick.
However, it is too much to expect
politicians to be either consistent
or courageous. With even the best
of them expediency often comes
to be sincerely regarded as prin-
ciple. In view of the fact that,
regardless of party, practically all
the politicians now have swung into
line behind the San Francisco
Charter, which is constructed on
the League of Nations base, per-
haps the miserable record of both