The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-05
new PLATFORM
FOR ALL WORLD.
Wilson, Therefore, Pleads for
Acceptance Of Treaty by
American People.
NOTHING BETTER OFFERED
Calls on Opponents to Pre-
sent a Program or to Put
Up or Shut UNI

ihuiahhpons, sept. o.-'Put up or
shut up" was the advice given OPP
ponents or the league OF nations by
second address Of his 10000 mile tour or
the United states. "rf the critics OF
the league have something better 10
suggest" said the president. II hope
they will hold their conven-
ton and do II now" He said the league
opponents could not hope to defeat the
program except by offering something
better.
War Violently Improbable.
wilson told a crowd of several thou
sands here last night that no one be-
neVed the league OF nations would
make all wars impossible, but that he
expected 1t to make war Violently i'm
probable"
The economic and arbitration sections
OF the covenant, he asserted. would
Keep war on the outskirts" and make
1t only last resort"
Opponents OF the league of nations
ne said, had discussed only three out
OF twenty six articles of the covenant.
The article which would make war
improbable had been overlooked.
he made a plea for acceptance of the
treaty because he said II gave a now
platform for world affairs. The presi-
deht said his speaking trip was partly
TO point out how absolutely ignorant"
or the contents OF the covenan some
OF those were who opposed the league.
II they read the English language at
it as I do"
The president said he wanted to ,cr-
get ana wanted the people to forget that
they were republicans or democrats.
i am an American" he declared.
and champion of the rights which
America believes In"
AT this the crowd cheered and there
anOt1pr 0f
ne declared he had mot the slightest
would be. 'o0p''
Some. delegations, the president said.
came to the Paris conference with
causes which We're not considered prom
erly within the scope of the peace con-
ference. In that connection he pointed
out that under Article XI any threat of
league. W 'ie
"At present" said he, I'VE have to
mind our own business, but under the
covenant and the league we can mind
otner peoples business"
CaInhg on opponents Of the league of
nations TO present "a better progrnn''
Tor peace, the president declared Il is a
case OF put or shut up.
Ihere was not an oppressed people
anywhere, he said. that could not get
attention under the league of nations.
ne dld not mention any oppressed peo-
ple ny name, but many or his hearers
thought he spoke OF the case of ireland.
Text OF indianapolis Speech.
Follows in part:
MY Fellow Citizens-So great n
company as this tempts me to make a
speech daughter and appause) and vet |
want to say to you In all seriousness |
and soberness that l have not come |
mere 10 make speech in the ordinary |
III 10
nave come upon a very sober er- !
rahd' Edeed. l have come to report to |
you upon the work which the renre- |
sehtatiyes of the United States at |
tempted to do at the conference on
me other side of the sea, because I |
i ieaIize. my ieliow, citizens, that my COL
leagues and | in the task we ATTEMPTED |
over there were your servants. we |
went there with distinct errand. |
which 1t was our duty to perform in
the spirit which you have displayed In
the prosecuting of the war and in con-
that war.
/ was in the city of Columbus this
afternoon. where was endeayoring TO
explain to body of our fellow citizens
there Just what 1t was that the treaty
OF peace contained, for l must frankly
ADMIT that in most of the speeches that
nave heard In debate upon the treaty
OF peace, it would be impossible to form
a definite conception of what the in
strument means.
Il want to recall to you for the pur-
poses of this evening, the circum-
stances OF the war and the purposes for
which other men spent their lives on
the other side of the sea.
=, You VIII remember that a prince Of
the mousse OF Austria was slain in one
Of the cities OF Serbia. Serbia was one
of the small Kingdoms of Europe. She
had no strength which any of the great
powers needed to fear. As we see the
war now. Germany and those who con-
splred with her made preteXt OF that
accusation In order to make uncon-
'cionahle demands upon the weak and
helpless kingdom of Serbia, not with a
view of bringing about an acuuiescence
n those demands. but with a view to |
bringing about conflict in which their
purposes connected with these demands,
,ould be achieved.
Just as soon as these demands were
made, other nations OF Europe sent
Geographic messages to their repre-
'entatives at Vienna and Berlin, urg-
ng them to ask the governments OF
Vienna and Berlin to enter into dis
ussion of these matters.
Didn't Dare Discuss Demands.
so soon as the unreasonable de-
hands of Austria were made on Serbia
he other governments of Europe sent
messages to Berlin and
Jenna asking that the matter be
rought into a conference. and the sig {
lificant thing of the beginning of this I
var is that the Austrian and German
governments did not dare to discuss the {
demands on Serbia or the purpose [
Which they had in view.
ut is universally admitted on the
ther side of the water that If they had s
one into international conference on |
he Austrian demands the war never
'ould have been begun, There was an G