Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1919 — WHERE DOES HAYS “GET ON”? [ARTICLE]

WHERE DOES HAYS “GET ON”?

From men In the highest places, in the Republican party—or that ■wing of it which is fighting the ( league of nations —we have had re- ( -Iterations of the assurance that ( they do not regard the league as a “partisan question.” It would be ( pleasant to be able to anticipate * from these senators and leaders actions* in keeping with their words. But their deeds belle their lips. How is it that Chairman Will H. Hays of the Republican national committee appears in Washington —with or without Invitation —to “frame” a program of senatorial; action wMh respect to the league? | Mr. Hays holds no commission from the people to represent them in the consideration of the league. He is not a» senator. He is not a public official of any sort. There is but one capacity in which he can coun-j sei and direct senators of his party; ( that is, as chairman of the Republican national committee. But it has not yet come to pass that the chairman of a political committee is recognized as the source of authority or guidance in the affairs of the senate, and cer-j tainly not in matters of such mo- ( ment as the ratification of a treaty, and its concomitant —the league of nations. The fact is that Mr. Hays is in.vading the prerogative of the sen-' ate, and that a majority of Repub-; lican senators ase permitting him to do so. They have been unable to agree a/ to what they should do as senators, as sworn, responsible officials of the people’s congress. l They are now seeking advice as to what they should do as Republicans. ' They have failed to repre-) sent the people; they are seemingly, about to undertake to serve only a party. Will the people of this country tolerate such interference by an tin-' official outsider, even if Republican senators meekly consent to it? A WORD OF WARNING A Chicagoan, writing to the Chicago Tribune, after a visit to the soldiers’ hospital at Fort Benjamin Harrison to see his wounded son, | made a pertinent observation it would be well for those who are trying to make jdplitical capital out of their opposition to the league of nations on the alleged ground of Americanism to bear in mind. He wrote: v “There are about 1,000 wounded soldiers (in the Fort Benjamin Harrison hospital) who saw service overseas. While there, I heard enough—from the wounded soldiers —to convince me that any man in public life who takes a stand against the proposed league of nations will most assuredly be retired to private life. * * » All the wounded men with whom 1 talked feel that the president is trying to do something for humanity. They know what war really is, and are an&ious for universal peace. • * • Talk to the soldiers, more especially to those who have been wounded or gassed, and they will tell you, as they told me: ‘We have had all the war we want. We want peace.’ And that Is what President Wilson crossed the sea for, to bring about peace —international peace—peace for all people.”