Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-24
LEAGUE PLAN
SUPPORTEDBY
SENATOR LEWIS
Defends President in AID,
dress Before Congress
Today.

Washington, Feb. 24.-Speaking In
b senate today in support Of the
proposed league Of nations, Senator
Lewis of Illinois, Democratic whip,
declared the league would not con
travene the advice Of washington or
the Monroe doctrine, and broadly In
timated that personal and political
a%ntagonisn to President Wilson lay
behind the oppositing in congress-.
Senator Lewis replied specifically to
recent speeches Of Senators Borah Of
Idaho, Republican mi Reed of Mis-
souri,, Democrat.
Attacks on the league, Senator
Lewis asserted, were based on false
fears and designed to awaken
prejudice. Demanding that oppon-
ents present their plan for world
peace he asked:
Have you any? Is there is only
voice Of veto from you all on what
ever plan-merely that it is proposed
by Wilson,"
THE country is not deceived. It
will Understandable when it does
know that for party politics or per-
sonal %prejudices their representatives
would continue to consign the ma
tion's children to the misery Of Grip
ples-to the agony of sightless eyes
ard order the destruction of their
young lives forever, these Christian
mothers and patriot fathers will cry
down on the heads Of them all the
curse of Heaven.
If Woodrow Wilson were a Roman
cataline charged by a Cicero with
conspiracy to surrender his land to
the enemy of his country and Taft q
modern Aaron Burr they could not
have been more violently impugned
than each has been by leaders Of the
opposition to the league of nations"
said Mr.. Lewis.
Nothing SO proved the animosity
Of Wilson'S success in any design az
the refusal to grant him his request,
cabled as he sailed for America, to
postpone discussions of the constitu-
ton of the league until he could ar
Its formation, The fact that there
would be months after Wilson returns
to Paris for the conclusion Of his
work. in which discussion of every
nature could be had, was of no inlu-
ence on those who preferred to ex-
hibit everywhere their defiance Of any
request he might make.
THE reasons urged as a justifica-
ton for the assault, have, 1 declare.
W. SAo0IlOo All III COllcIlS VI lUc
document.
TT is said that the document vio-
lates u policy against alliances with
foreign governments as opposed by
Washington. I answer that the docu-
ment prevents what Washington OPP
posed, partial alliances by American
with any foreign country, even were
her statesmen inclined.
1T requires two-thirds Of all to per-
-Hnff nv VHvn~ ~ N0&S> = ~N~
Would two-thirds ever allow such dis
advantage to them in favor of any
one against them all?"
The constitution Of the league
prohibits the possibility Of a political
alliance with any European power by
Asiatic, Japan and all South Amer
lea
The army and navy of the United
States is provided for" Senator Lewis
a kind she shall by her situation and
peculiar geography personally ADOPT
and personally control"
OF the charge that the league
would violate the Monroe doctrine,
Cenator Lewis said. "It was to pre-
vent this very assumption that Sec
ton ten of the charter pledges all of
the governments in the league resist
aggression by any one state or gov
eminent of any state.
I'VE ask why this false fear is
heralded by senator's? The cry is to
awaken prejudice. not to convince by
the truth of a situation"
Borah and Reed that the United
States would b4 %outvoted, particular
~ by England with her colonies in
Guided, Senator Lewis said:
Such is not in the possibilities.
There are eleven republics Of America
with eleven votes. Then if all
Britain'ss colonies + = = each have q
vote, the United States with central
and South America %outvotes the
Europeans on any American policy
nine to five-assuming only the larger
republics are admitted to the coun-
GILL"
In this connection, Senator Lewis
deplored the suggestion that there
was Danger of dishonorable CONSOLE
dation of the European nations"
Every action of the Allies" he as
serted, had proven the falsity Of this
fear" he said.
II protest against our opponents
assuming to create the political issue
by crying ~'nationalism' against the
object of the league. I oppose their
design in trying. to convince the
American people that the spirit of
democracy was " " = for information
ism of the world. .