Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1920 — PRESIDENTIAL ADVICE [ARTICLE]

PRESIDENTIAL ADVICE

In essence, the statement of President Wilson, printed in the New York World today, is a plea for honesty and courage on the part of the national Democratic convention. “Whatever else,” he says, “the Democratic party may do, I hope its convention at San Francisco will say that it will not resort either to ambiguity or evasions in doing so." If it does, it will do something that its great adversary did not do at Chicago. The president’s chief interest is, very naturally. In the league of nations. “This thing,” he says, “lies too deep to permit of

any political skullduggery, any _ attempt to sidestep or evade moral o> humanitarian responsibility much too solemn to treat so lightly or ignore." Dubious as the Republican league plank is, it has generally been construed as hostile to the league covenant. The Democratic convention iu under no obligation whatever to accept the Lodge reservations nor is the convention bound to take the covenant precisely as it stands. But it should speak clearly In favor of the principle, and strongly indorse the plan with such modifications as may make it sate for America. The president expresses the hope that the convention “will provide a platform sufficiently broad, progressive, liberal, just and thoroughly democratic to convince the people of the country of the complete honesty of the Democratic purpose and of the difference between it and the Republican party.” No detailed advice is given, and that is as it should be. The important thing is that the party should be right, from the Democratic viewpoint, on the paramount issue, and that on all questions it should speak in the clearest way. Nor has Mr. Wilson raised his hand or voice to aid in the promotion of any ambition for the Democratic presidential nomination,” and he does not propose to do so. The convention will be free to choose, and if it makes a mistake it, will have to bear the blame for it. Important as the great issue is, it is perhaps even more important that, to quote the president the “convention at San Francisco will say just what it .means on every issue, and that it will not resort either to ambiguity or evasions in doing, so.” —Indianapolis News.