Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1920 — MR. LODGE’S BURDEN [ARTICLE]

MR. LODGE’S BURDEN

Day after day the extent of Senator Lodge’s nMSonal responsibility for the obstruction of the treaty of peace with Germany, and the indefinite prolongation of a technical state of war, is more clearly and convincingly revealed to the American people. iHis handling of the latest negotiations for a prompt ■ and amicable adjustment of the j differences between the friends and the foes of the treaty and the league of nations accentuates the already large measure of Mr. Lodge’s individual accountability for disastrous delay. It was as a bitter personal enemy pf President Wilson rather than as Republican leader of the senate 1 that 'Mr. Lodge began his assaults' on the treaty a year ago. Even before Mr. Lodge or any one else 1 could possibly have known the pro- ’ visions of the treaty and the covenant. he demanded both in advance. In fact, he reversed his former position as an advocate of a league of nations seemingly because he preferred to show hostility to President Wilson than remain a consistent champion of international concord. When the treaty and the covenant were finally laid before the senate, Mr. Lodge Showed his determination to treat them not as the product of America’s participation in the peace conference but as the president’s private proposals. At every turn Senator Lodge’s animus toward the president has Inspired and guided his dealings •with the treaty and the league.

He has encouraged the “irreconcilable” Republicans to become more implacable; he has persuaded some of the "mild reservationists" to show less friendliness; he has sought by his blandishments to win Democratic senators to the side of opposition. It would have been bad enough if Mr. Lodge had adopted these tactics in the hope of obtaining advantage for his party at the expense of his country; but he has gone further than that. Mr. Lodge has not hesitated to jeopardize the interests of the United States or to risk the solidarity of his own party to gratify his grudge against President Wilson. He has Impaired his prestige as a political leader to indulge his personal pique and prejudice. He has -made the conflict over the treaty something vastly more contemptible than a struggle between political groups—he has made it the occasion for venting his personal spleen and spite. In this light, then, Senator Lodge stands today after the failure of the latest attempts to compromise senatorial differences with respect to the treaty. While pretending to espouse ratification with reservations Mr. Lodge has fought all along in the ranks of the defeatists. He won one set of Republican senators to reservations and then, apparr ently, lest even these succeed, he played the game of the outright rejeotionists. One thing Mr. Lodge has made as plain as daylight. He has shouldered a load of responsibility that his party doubtless soon will be quite willing he shall carry alone.