The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-01

II have not been appreciative Of the
| extraordinarily generous reception
i which was given to me on the 9th
fer siGe, in saying that it makes NE
very happy TO get home again. do
/ not mean to say that I was not very
deeply touched by the cries that
came from the great crowds on the
other side But want to, say to you
/! in All honesty that felt them to be
IN call. OF greeting to you rather than
!. to me.
IT did not feel that the greetins
was personal. had in my heart the
over crowning pride Of. being your
representative and OF receiving the
plaudits Of men everywhere who
felt that your hearts beat with theirs
in the cause of liberty. There was
no mistaking the tone Of voices ot
those great crowds. 1t was not q
tone Of mere greeting, it was not Il
tone OF mere generous welcome: il
was the calling Of comrade to com
I ratlc, the cries that come from men
who say. eve have waited for this
day when the friends OF liberty should
ICC1Ilc dCEOSS tfit sci stlISt
with us. to see that q new world was
constructed upon a new basis and
foundation Of justice and right. -
| sI can't tell you the inspiration
that came from the sentiments that
come out of those simple voices OF
! the crowd And the proudest th:ns
I have to report to you is TINT this
great country of ours is trusted
throughout the world
/ 81 have not come to report the
proceedings or the results Of the
proceedings OF the peace conference
because that would be premature.
can. say that I have received very
happy impressions from this confer
ence: the impression that while there
are many differences OF iua ut.
While there. are. some divergepces OF
object, there is nevertheless a COM
mon spirit and q. common re:liZ@.-
Stion OF the necessity of. setting up
new standards OF right in the world
]. Because the men who arc in con-
! ference in Paris. realize as kcenly as
any American can realize that they
are not the masters of their people:
/; that they. are the servants Of their
people. aud that the spirit Of their
people has awakened to new .pur-
pose and a nety conception o4 stheis
; power. to realize that purpose and
that no man dare go home from that
conference ard report anything less
noble than was expected Of it.
The conference seems to you 10
go slowly: from day 20 day in paris
/. it seems to 80 slowly. but I wonder
If YOU realize the completely Of th-
( task which il has undertaken. Ii
seems rs If the settlements of his
;vag affect and affect directly. .evciy
great. and sometimes I think "verE
small. nation IN the world and nc
/ one tiociSon can prudently be made
which is not properly linked in 'y.th
! the great series Of other receptions
I which must accompany it. And i
must be recognized in with the tnal
j result if the real quality and chacac-
ter of that result is to be properly
] judged.
WHAT wc arc doing is TO hear tho
whole case: hear il iroGli the mouths
/ of the pacn most intcrestca; hear i
from these who arc officially commits
/ stoned TO state it: hear the rir:;1
! claims: hear the claims that affect
new nationali1ics. that affect new
; areas OF the world. that affect new
| commercial and economic conncc-
| tionS that have been established by
| thu. great word war through %iilch
We have gone And have been
struck by the modcr:,teness OF tnose
who have represented national
c;iayls. can tes,if., that he NO
where seen the glcam Of passion.
have seen carnestnefs. ! have seen
tears come TO the eyes Of men who
plead for downtrodGcn people whcn'
! they were privileged TO speak Tor
but they were not the tears OF an-
cuish. lhey were the tears Of ardent
hope.
And do not 50" how any man
| can fail to have hccn Subducd by
! these pleas suhducd to this feeling.
! :hat he was not there TO ;,s.;cr! az i'll
.diridual Judgment OF nis own but "a
try 10 assist the cause Of humanity.
And in tha midst Of it all .ycry
/ interest seeks out first Of N! when
/ it reaches Paris the representatives
Of the United States. Why? Be
oauso. and think / am stating the
most wonderful fact in h;stoAN--''"-
cause there is 10 nation in Europe
Chat suspects the motives Of the Unit
+ ed states
Vas there ever so wonderful q
thing seen before: Was There eyer
80 moving Il thing? Was there eyer
any fact that so bound the nations
that had won that esteem forever 10
deserve IL?
Il would not have you understand
that the great men who represent the
other nations there in conference ar"
dist st"eme6i by those WHO know them.
quite the. contrary. Eut You under
st:4at that the nations OF Europe
have again and again clashcd with
one another in competitive intcl'eS;.
It is impossible for lac 10 for&.t
those sh: /, issues that were drawn
4 /