Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1919 — EDITORIAL PARAGRAPHS [ARTICLE]

EDITORIAL PARAGRAPHS

Some day maybe the Republicans will forgive the army for winning the war under a Democratic administration. Abusing the president apparently Is regarded by some Republicans in congress as a fair substitute for performing their duty. But what do the pe<A>le think? Chairman Hays of the Republican national committee delivers a speech to tell the public his party will not make the league of nations a partisan Issue. Why doesn’t he write a few personal and confidential letters to the senatorial “robins" to notify them? German recalcitrance toward the peace terms followed Republican opposition to the league of nations and the senatorial attack on President Wilson. These things .may not have had the relation, biit they certainly were in the order, of and effect.

Senator Brandegee, Republican, wanted Elihu Root’s opinion as to whether the senate’s inquiry into the possession of unofficial copies of the peace treaty had “done any damage”—and got it. “I cannot see that a'ny damage has been done unless it be through withdrawing the attention of the senate from the very serious questions before it,” Mr. Ropt replied. f ■ Some reactionary Republican senators would have us—and all the world besides —believe that the only interest this country has in foreign nations is interest on American investments, And still they seem to forget that peace must precede prosperity, here and abroad; that we can not recover our trade with Europe until, with our help, Europe has re-established peaceful, permanent governments.

Even the most unreasonable opponent of the league of nations will admit that Germany would never have started the war if she had believed England would stand by France and that the United States might ever be drawn into the conflict. Therefore, with the nations bound by the covenant of the league, who will be left to start a war? Or if any nation were left out, would she dare? Ask any opponent of the league of nations.

The only serious effort ever made to end war has been given the endorsement of 32 nations. It is generally conceded that the league of nations has little chance of succcess without the participation of the .United States. That participation must be with the approval of the senate. Is it within the bounds of possibility that the hostility of a few Republicans, inspired by partisanlsm to one man, the president, is going to defeat the plan to end war? - More than $220,000,000 has been loaned to farmers by the federal farm land banks, at a low rate of interest and on long terms. Prior to the passage of the farm loan ] act, farmers paid from 8 % to 15 % ' for short-term loans. Yet Republi--1 can hostility to anything accom- ' plished by Democrats is so intense ' that a Republican congressman 1 would exempt the farm loan bonds from taxation, destroy the system I and restore the farmers to the ' clutches of the mortgage bankers. “ Recalling the happenings of 1912,

when they “fought, bled and died ’ for the purlflcation of the g. o. P . “the progressive Republicans must feel like climbing up on their feet and emitting three rousing cheers every time they reflect on the leadership of Penrose, Lodge and Smoot in the senate and Mondell in the bouse. Of the Chicago Republican convention in 1912, Representative Mondell declared that it "acted honestly and in a spirit of fairness, in harmony with party history, for the best Interests of the party and the American people."