Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1920 — PLATFORM INTERPRETATION [ARTICLE]

PLATFORM INTERPRETATION

Declaring that “the people are entitled to know in definite terms” what their party proposes to do, the Republicans at their recent convention adopted a platform which is even at this early day going through a process of interpretation—and things that are “definite” never need to be interpreted. The convention praised the Republican senators who voted for the league bf nations with reservations, and also for defeating the covenant brought back by the president from Europe. Whether the commendation was given to them because they defeated the treaty, or tried to pass it, is a question that must be left to the interpreters. And so of that other question as to the real purpose of the senators who were praised. Did Lodge and the rest really desire that the treaty be ratified? If so, can they properly appreciate the praise given *to them in a plank that was wholly satisfactory to Senators Borah and Johnson, who certainly did not want it ratified? On this point we have an interpretation from Senator Lodge himself. The New York Times said a few days ago: Senator Lodge openly appealed for the votes of Democratic senators on the ground that he was earnestly trying to get the treaty ratified. But at Chicago he served notice that if a resolution were brought in favoring ratification—on any terms—he would fight it on the floor of the convention. This bears out the analysis of the Massachusetts senator’s secret intent made by one in close touch with him all through the treaty fight in the senate. It was that “Lodge really wants to kill the treaty, but does not dare to.” At Chicago he plucked up the necessary courage. Thus far Interpretation of the plank seems to make necessary the conclusion that it is antagonistic t» the treaty and the covenant, either with or without reservations. But now comes the New York Tribune and says that “it does not preclude” acceptance of the covenant and the treaty. We do not assume to say which authority is right—perhaps all are wrong. It may be that the convention really did not know its own mind —that on this issue the senatorial cabal was up in the air. One thing, however, is perfectly clear, and that is that there is nothing “definite” about an utterance that has been so variously construed, and as a result the people who “are entitled to know in definite terms” what the party thinks on this subject, as on all other subjects, are left wholly in the dark.—lndianapolis News.