The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-09-30
PLEA FOR TREATY
In CALIFORNIA
San Francisco G I've
President Warm
Welcome
DECIDE RIGHTLY

Wednesday night, September IL, Pres
ident Wilson declared that in his trip
across the continent he had become
convinced that the treaty issue would
be decided rightly by the people"
He repeated his declaration that the
league of nations was not the work Of
the Versailles conference but grew
out of years Of thought by men who
did not devote any portion Of their
consideration to politics. Some of the
most constructive minds Of both par
ties, he asserted had been devoted to
the project for generation.
Declaring the league opponents had
offered no substitute, Mr.. Wilson dis
cussed at length the objections made,
repeating many of his previous argu-
ments against changes Virtually all
OF the features under debate now, he
declared, had been changed once along
the line Of suggestions by the senate
foreign relations committee.
Right Of Withdrawal.
The right of withdrawal, Mr.. Will
son asserted, was virtually absolute
under the covenant in its present
form. He declared also that the Mon
roe doctrine is adequately safeguard
ed, and that such questions as immi-
grafton and the tariff are reserved for
national determination.
While Great Britain has SIX votes
in the league assembly, Mr.. Wilson
said, it had been carefully arranged
so that the one vote Of the United
States would balance all of the six.
It was only in the assembly, he said,
that six votes were given the empire,
and that was not, in the main, vot-
ing body. He declared the assembly
could vote to admit a new member to
the league or to recommend to any
member reconsideration of such
treaties as apparently are in conflict
with the covenant; but, aside from
those two functions, he said, no action
could be taken without the concur
renee Of the American delegate under
the unanimous vote rule.
The council, where the great ma
lions are on an equality and where
unanimity is required. Mr.. Wilson de-
clared, was the leagues agency of
action. The assembly was largely a
form, he said, where the conscience
of the world could be brought to play
upon the questions likely to lead to
war.
Refers to Shantuna Provision.
Turning to the Shantung provision
of the treaty, Mr.. Wilson said that
neither the United States government
nor the men now protesting against
the Shantung award, had made any
protest against the original cession of
rights there to Germany. Later, he
continued, France, Great Britain and
other great powers took Chinese terri
tory without any objection from this
country.
Every great European power, the
president asserted, now enjoyed spec
ial privileges in China, in some cases
at the expense of China's sovereignty.
But he declared Japan had promised
to return everything that savOred of
sovereignty to China.
When he asserted that the only way
TO get Shantung away from Japan was
to 60 to war, woman near the front
of the hall asked, "W hat Is the league
of nations for. them"
The president, continuing his sen
tence, said the league offered for the
first time tribunal before which
China could bring her complaint about
the wrongs she had suffered for years.
The crowd cheered the statement.
1t was not in the province of the
peace conference, said the president, to
consider the question of self-determin-
alton as affecting peoples other than
those formerly under the sovereignty
of the central empires. But under the
league, lie added, such questions would
be brought under the Jurisdiction of |
the great powers. 1t would offer, he
declared, "a forum on which to conduct |
4 successful agitation"
'If they're not satisfied with that"
ne added, "their case is not good"
More applause followed the state
nent, and there was another outburst
If cheering when he said, confidently,
hat the United States was going to
,e in the league.
Mr.. Wilson said it was impossible to
york out Industrial reforms as long as
he peace treaty uncertainty contin-
led. Ratification of the treaty, he
aid, would be the first step toward
he preventing of any sort of minority
rom debating in the United States.
Against "Buy Now" Drive.
Albany, N. Y.-Attorney General
alner declared here that If the peo-