The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-10-09
LET US BE FAIR.

(Speech taken by Senator Nickel
lar of Tennessee, taken from Con-
gressional Record, Tuesday, Septem-
Ever since the armistice was sign
ed on November II, 1918, many
Senators in this Chamber have seen
fit on innumerable occasions to crltl-
else and abuse the President OF the
United States for his conduct OF the
times criticisms have been made for
which there was some foundation,
but more often criticism and abuse
have been hurled at him and his
policies without rhyme or reason,
and without regard to facts. The
remarks to which we have just listen
ed are an illustration in point. Be-
fore the armistice, when we were
fighting, as these very gentlemen ad-
President did or said was exactly
right-the IA points, the league Of
nations, a dictated peace, and all the
rest. But when the armistice was
signed guaranteeing complete sur
render by Germany and her. allies,
and a victorious war won by the
United States and her allies, his
political enemies Immediately chang
in the distance, in all their plans
politics superseded patriotism. They
knew, of course, that the chief honor
of winning the war would naturally
fall to President Wilson, and immed-
lately upon the realization of that
fact every one of those who during
the war had claimed to be his friends
but who were not, who claimed to
be for his policies but who were not
Ioir Of Oh nd
vilification, and their Vaccinations
to prevent his getting credit for Win
ming the war or for securing peace.
Immediately, in their eyes, nothing
that he had ever done or ever would
do was or could be right. He was
not only wrong when they said he
was wrong, but he was wrong even
when they during the war, for they
their own political reasons, had said
he was right.
Applauded Wilson During War
During the war when Wilson de-
manded dictated peace, they ap-
plauded the utterance as the persona
fication of American patriotism.
When Wilson secured dictated
peace, Immediately they turned and
said it was too harsh on Germany;
During the war they all claimed
they wanted an enduring peace and
a league to guarantee it. Wilson
secured this, and Immediately it was
all wrong. During the war they
wanted an ending of it that would
primarily be satisfactory to the two
great Englsh-speaking countries.
After the armistice and after Wilson
had obtained what they asked in
this respect, they found that this
England ought not to have anything
to do with the treaty or league.
During the war they always de-
manded that France should have
every protection. At the peace table
Wilson gave France every protection.
Immediately they changed their
minds and wanted no entangling
alliances with France. During the
war they demanded l,Y that the five
cert. Wilson secured this demand,
and Immediately they changed their
minds and wanted to substitute
China for Japan, though China had
had practically nothing to do with
winning the war, and doubtless the
most of her people hardly knew it
was won. During the war and even
when the peace conference was as
sembled they constantly urged that
act in concert with her allies. Will
son did this, and now they have
repudiated and deserted our allies.
During the war either publicity or
privately, they criticised the Irish in
Ireland for not going into the war as
they believed they should. After
the war was over, and an election in
sight, they have had nothing. but
praise for the Irish and condem-
have more votes in this country than
the English. Those of us who
genuinely sympathize with and favor
the Irish must not be misled by this
change of front. Many of these
gentlemen are not now and never
have been real friends of Ireland
They shout in one breath that
America must not NEEDLE in Europ-
can affairs, and in the next breath
shout in one breath that America
must isolate herself, and in the next
that it will be a crime if America
does not in this treaty restore Shan
tung to China.
During the war, when Wilson gave
out his IA points they praised them
all When Wilson secured their en-
mediately said they were all wrong,
and then blamed him for not getting
all of them into the treaty. The con-
clusion is inevitable from all these
changes in position that if they were
sincere in their views toward the
Presidents policies during the war
they are not sincere now. If they
are sincere now, they were not sim
cere in their pledges Of patriotism
then. They can take either horn of
the dilemma.
That presidca. Wilson has made
may mistakes can not be success
fully controverted. No man who
does not make them ever gets very
far. That he has accomplished some.
of the greatest things that have ever,
been accomplished by any President
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