The Harrison times., 1919-03-01
ing with the closest attention.

llS WIN NAc Nio9NoN ahttuNiohs
The reading continued for 80 min
utes without interruption or applause.
As he closed the president laid aside
the document and spoke of what had
been accomplished The deliberations
of the commission had been most in
structive. and throughout the proceed
ings there was an undertone of en-
thusiasm in the great work being ac-
complished, he said.
The results. said President Wilson.
embodied the judgment of IA nations
represented on the commission and
these II nations were a representative
group of the conference itself
This is a union of will in common
purpose" the president proceeded. 1T
is q union which cannot be resisted
and | dare say one which no nation
will attempt to resist"
The president pointed out that the
document was no straight jacket 1t
was elastic and not a vehicle of
might. he said. 1t was yet to be de-
veloped and as yet care should be TAX
en- as to the clothes put on it, While
elastic, yet it was definite
1T is definite" continued President
Wilson, las a guarantee of peace. 1t
is definite as a guarantee against
aggression 1t is definite against re
newal of such a cataclysm as has just
shaken civilization"
The president spoke with especial
emphasis as he referred to the wrongs
committed against helpless peoples.
There is one especially notable fea-
mre in this document, he said We
are done with annexatiOns Of helpless
people at times accomplished in the
past for the purposes Of the exploiting
of these peoples In this document we
recognize that the helpless cOmmuni-
ties are first to be helped and deyel-
Oped and that their own interests and
well being shall come before any ma
terial advantage to the mandatory en-
trusted with their case
Too often in the past the president
added, the world has seen the lands
of helpless communities appropriated
for political purposes.
And So" he said, while this is
practical document, it is above all a
human document 1t is practical, and
at the same time it is designed to
purify, to rectify, to elevate
President Wilson closed his address
at 4:3O O'Clock, having read and spok-
en- just one hour An interpreter then
proceeded to render a discourse which
occupied another hour
Lord Robert Cecil. head Of the Brit
ish commission on the league of ma
tions, followed the interpreter In an
earnest speech. 1t was a good omen,
said Lord Robert, that this document
had been laid before the world before
being finally enacted, so that people
every where could advise upon and
criticise it. The problem had been
one of great difficulty, for it was to
preserve the peace of the world with
the least possible interference with ma
tiOnal sovereignty
The results accomplished, he con
tinued, embraced two main principles:
First, no nation shall go to war until
every other means of settlement shall
be fully and fairly tried second. 40
nation shall fOrcibly seek to disturb n
territorys integrity or interfere with
the political independence of the ma
tions of the world These were the
great principles, but later another
great principle must be laid down,
namely, that no nation should retain
armaments fit only for aggressive
purposes.
Dr. Vittorio Orlando, the Italian
prime minister expressed deep salts
faction at having collaborated in what
was going to be one Of the greatest
documents of history. He would not
speak Of the merits of the scheme,
DR.. Orlando continued, as these had
been explained by one whose noble in
spiration had brought it into eXis-
tence The war had brought forth
the necessity for this document
Thus born out of the pains Of war
the premier exclaimed, this is doc
ument of freedom and right which
represents the redemption of humanity
by sacrifice"