The Commorier
VOL. 20, NO. 4
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Shall the People Rule?
4
The failure of tho Senate to ratify the treaty
and make the United States a member of the
Loaguo of Nations raises a number of very Im
portant issues Issues much more important
than tho determining of party responsibility for
tho dofoat. While an effort will bo made by
party leaders on each side to throw tho blame for
tho dofoat upon tho opposlto party, these efforts
can not divert attontion from the far-reaching
questions presented for discussion questions of
jnich a vital character and of such absorbing in
terest that tho voters will rosont any attempt to
malco tho decision depend upon tho party consid
erations. Party considerations, while decisive
in ordinary times and on ordinary subjects, not
only lose tholr forco In tho presence of national
crlsos but aro precluded by tho very nature of
the contest. , No one can stoop to partisan argu
ments when tho nation is in peril and tho wel
fare of th world at stake.
Tho dofoat of tho ratifying resolution threat
ens a postponement of tho serious consideration
of pressing domestic problems. There are many
readjustments ma'do necessary by the war; ques
tions matured in tho heat of tho conflict are now
ripo for action. Those who aro especially inter
ested in those questions will protest with in
creasing earnostnoss against the Ignoring of do
mestic subjects of special interest to largo classes
and of gonoral Interest to tho whole public.
For instance, tho extortions of the profiteers
aro being hotter and better understood and the
impudence of those who,- for their own selfish
ends, attempt to Prottle legislation and to ob
struct remedial measures arouses Increasing In
dignation. Tho bread-winner confronts a drain
upon his family income which ho can not ignore,
or oven consider with patience, and now that
woman; the financial manager of tho family, is
to bo given tho ballot, we may expect a very
critical and comprehensive examination into the
subject. Tho profiteers may be willing to turn
attention from themselves to tho phraseology of:
reservations but their victims, much more num
erous than tho beneficiaries, will not bo willing
to chango tho subject. Tho attempt to make a
party issue of the treaty reservations will there
' fore be irritating rather than successful.
It will bo difficult to persuade tho laboring
man that his interests should bo mafle subordin
ate toan academic discussion, indefinitely pro
longod as to tho language in which to frame a
nnnHniMint nronosttlon A PROPOSITION THAT
BECOMES IMPORTANT ONLY ON THE HAP
PENING OF THAT WHICH MAY NEVER HAP
PEN. It must be remembered that the reser
vations deal almost entirely with things that are
speculative and improbable rather than certain
or even probable. The laboring man, increas
ingly conscious of the dignity of his toil and of
tho importance of tho part he plays in our in
dustrial and political system, is not In a humor
to view with complacency the effort to shunt him
to one side, He did his part in tho war and will
claim his place in the nation's plans and his
share in tho shaping of tho country's destiny.
Tho beneficiaries of private monopoly are
banding themselves together for a concerted at
tack upon the poople's right to administer,
through their own agents and for their own
benefit, the so-called natural monopolies the
enterprises in which competition, by the very na
ture of the case, is impossible. Those men may
bo willing, even anxious, to keep the people en
gaged in fruitless discussion over matters dif
ficult to decide while they still further ontronch
themselves, but the victims of tho extortion in
separable from monopoly will be neither de
ceived nor diverted from the defense of their
rights.
But tho defeat of tho treaty makes tho nation
incompetent to perform its duty to the world as
well as powerless to safeguard the rights of its
own citizens. The world is threatened with
chaos. Democracy is not as strong in Europe
today a3 it was when tho signing of the armistice
ushered in tho world's greatest thanksgiving
day. Beoldesthe natural reaction that is always
to bo expected after any great forward move
ment, the friends of democracy have been humil
iated by the attitude of our government. A
number of nations accepted the democratic idea
of government at the estimate that wo placed
upon it and started out in good faith to follow
our example. They have naa a aesperaie strug
gle. Monarchy has surged back on one side, on
the other sido, bolshevism has threatened the
very existence of law and order. These Repub
lics have needed a friend and c6unsellor--a dis
interested nation that could hear sympathetically
and advise wisely but our nation has been for
tho time being powerless to render the assistance
deserved and so badly needed. While other gov
ernments, less domestic than ours, have been
able to agree to terms of peace and formally
bring the war to an end, we have spent the time
in fruitless debate.
A League of Nations is conceded to be impos
sible without the active presence and positive in
fluence of our nation. The United States can
make the League of Nations a real forum for the
settling of international disputes; without our
nation's participation, the League is but an en
largement of the old balance of power arrange
ment. Tho Allies and their enemies are gradual
ly drifting toward war; each day furnishes new
evidence of tho inability of the parties now in
tho league to reach a peaceful settlement of ex
isting differences or to construct a satisfactory
machine for tho prevention of recourse to force.
- Fear on the one side fear that they will not bo
able to hold that already secured and, on the
other side, resentment for that which has been
granted under compulsion these two disinte
grating forces menace the permanence of the
truce that has been declared.
Those whoever they may be who are re
sponsible for the defeat of the treaty and the
postponement of our nation's entrance into the
League of Nations, have sorely afflicted our na
tion and grievously'disappolntedthe hopes of the
' world.
But the failure of the Senate to ratify has
raised even a more fundamental issue than those
already stated. If those in control of the gov
ernment compel a postponement of the consid
eration of domestic issues, they know that their
sins, though enormouswill not destroy the Re
public, however great the penalty, individual
and national, paid for postponement. And the
same may be said asvto the loss that 'may .come
to tho world outside because of our withholding
of a helping hand. The physical and financial
exhaustion resulting from the recent war may
postpone, for a little while at least, a renewal of
strife, however much the bitterness may increase.
But how shall wo answer to the world for our
palpable surrender of the fundamental prinicple
of democracy which we have preached to the
world? How shall we explain our apostasy from
the faith which we have professed? We have in
vested more than a hundred thousand precious
lives in the effort to "make the world safe for
democracy," we have expended some thirty bil
lions of dollars to.establish the doctrine that gov
ernments derive their just powers from the con
sent of the governed. And the one outstanding
principle of democracy is THE RIGHT OF THE
MAJORITY TO RULE. What Will the world
think of us what will we think of ourselves
if we permit a minority of tho Senate to usurp
tho right to decide the nation's policy?
The vote in favor of ratification, with the res
ervations agreed upon, stood 49 to 35. This is
more lian half of ninety-eight, the total mem
bership of the Senate without counting the eight
pairod In favor of ratification. Counting votes
and vpairs, tho Senate stood 57 (49 voting and
eight paired) for to 39 (35 voting and four
paired) against 18 MAJORITY FOR RATI
FICATION. Tho constitution makes a two-thirds vote
necessary for the ratification of a treaty, but this
constitutional provision'was -written one hundred
and thirty -years ago ancl at a time when the
sentiment of tho world was not as strong in
favor of peace as it is now. That constitutional
requirement has obstructed the path toward
peace and enabled a minority of the Senate to
defeat the will of the majority. The effect of the
provision is to permit the minority to suspend ac
tion indefinitely or until an appeal can be taken
to the people, but such a course is in effect a
filibuster against tho majority a filibuster at
a time when the nation can not consent to it
without .doing irreparable injury to the baRfr
-theory of popular government.
" Is it not time for the people, employing tho
constitutional methods provided In the organic
law itself, t) so chango the constitution as to
make the document h.rmonize -with democrats
principles and the needs of today? is n "
time for an amendment that will permit the mT
jority to ratify? it might bo a majority of the"
Senate, if it is desired to continue tho Senate's
monopoly of treaty matters. But an treaties
often involve a declaration of the nation's policy
and generally Involve the expenditure of money
it may be better to deposit the ratifying power
in Congress rather than in either branch. A ma
jority can declare war; why not allow a major
ity to conclude peace? Why not make it as easy
to endi war as to begin it as easy to come out
of it as to go into it?
At this time, when the world is looking on and
anxiously awaiting our action, wo aro in a posi
tion to fire another shot th"f will be "heard
around the world." Wo can impress other na
tions, as we can hardly impress them in any
other way, by making our constitution conform
to the theory toward which the world is march
ing. We appeal to all nations to recognize the
people as the source of power and to trust them
with the arbitrament of all questions that con
cern them. Now let us give them an outstanding
illustration of our own faith in the principle by
applying it to Congress. We can thus extricate
ourselves from an embarrarsing situation; pro
tect ourselves from such a condition of helpless
ness in the future; relieve the world of suspense
and, at the same time, more firmly establish the
great governmental doctrines for which we stand
sponsor.'
If this Congress will immediately submit such
an amendment, there is little doubt but that the
two conventions will endorse it and that will not
only insure its ratification within a year, but the
certainty of an early ratification will in all prob
ability persuade the present Senate to anticipate
ratification by putting the plan into operation
immediately after -the conventions by permitting
the majority as recorded, to become the two
thirds majority required by the constitution.
Eleven of those voting in the negative can do
this by withholding their yotes out of deference
to the rights of the majority.
Let the people rule. There is no alternative
to democracy except the adoption of a policy
which gives the presumption of right to the mi
nority, andv that is "antagonistic to our" 'entire
theory of government. W. J. BRYAN.
.'ARTIFICLAXM CRIME
A Republican newspaper of Indiana defends
Senator Newberry on the ground that the crime
for which he was convicted wad an "ARTI
FICIAL" crime. Are not all crimes against the
ballot "artificial" in the same sense? As a
matter of fact, Senator Newberry's crime was a
much graver offense than burglary, because it
was a crime against the whole state. Let them
try to repeal the law and they will learn what
the plain people, think about such crimes.
PROHIBITION A SUCCESS
With Bird S. Coler, Commissioner of Charities
of New York, converted to prohibition by what
he has seen in that state (see his testimony on
other page,; with Jane Addams converted to pro
hibition by what she has seen in Chicago (see
interview on another page); and with Omana
converted to prohibition by experience, Senatoi
Hitchcock must feel a little lonesome, but ue
still cries for wine and beer.
WORSE THAN A CRIME
With Europe drifting back toward war it is
more than a crime for partisans to talk of mak
ing thetreaty an issue- in the -campaign. The
treaty should be ratified at once with the reser
vations agreed upon so that our nation can turn
its attention to pressing domestic problems and
save the old world from another war. Shame
upon any man who would drag tho treaty into
politics at a time like this.
JOHNSON'S VOTE A WARNING
Johnson's vote in Michigan ought to be a
warning to any Democrat who thinks that our
party can profit by making an issue of the treaty
reservations. We risk losing all if we quibble
over reservations.
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