Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-06
DEFIANT NOW
WILSON WINS
LEAGUE FOES
Fighting Spirit Aroused,
President Sweeping
Away Opposition.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright. 919, by 'rhc Argus.l
IA 1sas City, Mo-, Sept. 6.--Pres-
IdeTt Wilson did much better at
| Indianapolis and ST. I.ouis than at
| Columbus Not only did his speech
es lake better with the crowds but
| the people seemed to Re reused to
high pitches of enthusiasm which
! were totally lacking at the outset.
The president has evidently been
| advised that the people want
speeches with a punch in them.
| For in both Indianapolis and St
Louis he adopted the RooseVeltian
tactics for the first time in his ca
reer and brought his audience to
its feet again and again. That is
a new thing eth Woodrow Wilson.
Usually he depends upon the quiet,
deliberate processes Of oratorical
persuasion. Today he IS changed.
He is beIligerent He is making
! the Fight Of his life. and II his
speech at ST. Louis, which seemed
to make the hest impression thus
far is an index of what ne plans
to do, the public can expect Mr..
Wilson to arouse the nation on -hs
issue of the league to a degree of
pa.-s On and fervor hitherto absent
on either side OF the controversy.
Defiant Challenge to Critics.
Tne president is reducing his ar
gumeat to simple statements. His
appeal to the St. Louis chamber OF
commerce waszsespecially intended
for business men. His plea to the
farmers who gathered from all
Tarts of Indiana was 4 vivid por-
t-ayal of the horrors of another
war. His challenge to critics was
40 defiant call for q substitute pro-
gram. If they intend to defeat the
proposed league His central ef-
fort IS to show that the opponents
Of tie league have picked flaws
here and there, but have said moth
ing of the constructive possibilities
OF f3 out of the &c articles of the
covenant
Wilson's Argument.
Briefly, the main trend of Mr..
Wilson's argument as now reveal
cd Is this:
1T the treaty is not rati-
fled by the United States, Eu-
rope will 60 ahead without us
and the United States will be
left ont in the cold, Il scredited
and distrus-ed.
The repGratiol commits
sion is really a group OF re-
cevers sitting over the bank
rupt assets of Germany. That
commission will determine how
Germany shall pay her repara-
lion, where she will buy ma
terials and how she will get
credits. Mr.. Wilson says that
if culy from a practical busi-
ness point of view, America
,aanot afford to stay out.
Americas trade and industrial
life are interviewer in the
economies f Europe.
3-The president points to
the invasion of Belgium as
Violation of territorial meg
rity and says that any one who
is agcinst article 10 would for
get Belgium and weak nations.
40 the Irish, the presi-
dent makes an open bid for
support BY limiting that Amer
lea cam = intrude upon Eng
lands afie;is now. but that
under a league of nations Ire
land car Eet a hearing and tl'-
n'oral support of the United
States.
81 u respect to foreign
wars and sending troc-s across
the seas. Nr. Wilson empha-
si/5 TIA, American boys can
not hr compelled to fght m
less the representative of the
United S'ates in the leagues
n
representative would be under
instructions to take 10 such
step Witt ut the sarc:iLn OF
congress
Shows How Jap Case Stands.
6-Faith in Japan's intention
to return Shantung to China is
expressed without qualification
by the president, and to those
who don't trust Japan and
want to give the territory back
to China Immediately, Mr.. Will
son addresses this question:
How will you take Shantung |
away from Japan when Great
Britain and France are pledged
already and have been pledged
for two years to give Japan all
the rights which Germany en-
joyed? Does America want to
fight Great Britain and France
and Japan and is that the way
to keep America out of war?
Mr.. Wilson presents no apology
for Japan but says Great Brit
ain and France had promised
her Shantung in order to get
Japan to come into the war and
help keep the Pacific clear OF
German raiders Mr.. Wilson
admits the bargain and de-