Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-09-12
President Pleads for Speedy Ratifi-
cation. Great Crowds Hear Him
on His Speaking Tour in the West.

it would have prevented it abso-
lutely.
when gentlemen tell you. there
fore, that the league of nations is
intended for some other purpose
than this, merely reply this TO
them: IF we do not do this thing
we have neglected the central COW
cnant that we made to our people,"
and there will be no statesman of
any country who can thereafter
promise his people any allcviation
from the perils of war.
The passions OF this world are
not dead; the rivalries of this world
have not cooled; they have been
rendered hotter than ever. The
harness that is to unite nations is
more necessary now than it ever
was before and unless there is this
sureness Of combined action before
wrong is attempted, wrong will be
attempted just rs soon as the most
ambitious nations can recover from
the financial stress of this war.
'Now look, what else is in the
treaty. This treaty is unique in his
tory of mankind because the CEN
ter of it is the redemption of weak
nations. There never was a con-
greSs of nations before that consid-
cred the rights of those who could
not enforce their rights. There
never was 4 congress Of nations be-
fore that did not seek to effect
some balance of power brought
about by means of serving the
strength and interest of the strong
est powers concerned. whereas this
treaty builds up nations that never
could have won their freedom in
any other way"
AT INDIANAPOLIS.
In his speech here the President
said: "Thc heart of :hc League Of
Nations does not lie in any of the
portions which have been discussed
in public debate. The great bulk
of the provisions of that covenant
contained these engagements and
promises on the part Of the states
which undertook TO become mem
berS of it:
THAT in no circumstances will
they so to war without first having
either submitted the question to ar
bitratiOn-in which case they agree
to abide by the result; or. having
submitted the question to discus
Sioin by the Council of the League
Of Nations, in which case they will
allow six months for the discus
sion and engage not to 60 to war
until three months after the Coun-
Gil has announced its opinion upon
the subject under dispute.
$50 that the heart or the coven-
ant of the League is that the ma
tions Solcmnly~ covenant not to go
to war for nine months after con-
troverSy becomes ACUTE
After showing how the war had
started and rcciting the incident of
the killing of an Austrian prince
which provoked the outbreak of
hostilities, the President said: "If
there had been nine days Of dis
cussion, Germany would not have
gone to war. If there had been nine
days within which TO bring to bear
The opinion Of the world, the judg-
mcnt of mankind upon the purpos-
CS of these governments, they never
would have dared TO execute those
purposes.
The President declared bluntly
that the ratification Of the treaty
was necessary to prevent future
wars. He predicted that The failure
OF the United States to ratify it
would provoke other wars.
In This speech the President
sounded note Of defiance to his
critics. lie said that the only way
TO defeat treaty is TO offer q bet
ter one, because "you cannot re-
store the peace of the world by
ncgation."
"If 1 may be pardoncd homcly
EXPRESSION he said, 81 should say
to the people who are criticising
this treaty it is time to put up or
shut up. If the critics of the treaty
arc to present a programme / would
that they hold their convention inn
mediatcly in order that we may dis
pose Of the business"
The President also made q direct
reference TO the Irish question. Hc
said that he approached "a deli
cate situation" Under Article Xxx
of the League Covenant, the causes
of all nations which the Peace Con
ference was not able to recognize
could be referred to the League of
Nations. He said it was none Of
our business, but with the adop-
ton Of the covenant il becomes the
business Of the entire world. 1t
was clear, he said, that any Situa-
iion which disturbed the peace of
nations could, under The League, be
brought before its council "and no