The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-05

no little nation asserted its rights to
the disturbance Of the peace Of Eu-
rope, and every time an assertion Of
rights was attempted they were sup
pressed by combined influence and
force
This treaty tears away all that and
says these people have a right TO live
their own lives, under the governments
which they themselves choose TO set
/ up.
That is the American principle, and
| was glad 10 fight for il, and when
strategic considerations were urged l
| said-not l alone-but it was matter
Of common counsel-that strategic con
siderations We're not in our thought. that
We are not now arranging for future
wars, but We're giving people what be
longed to them.
Position on Fiume Problem
My fellow citizens, ! do not think
there is any man alive who has a more
tender sympathy for the great people
Of Italy than | have. and very stern
duty was presented to us when we had
to consider some Of the claims Of Italy
on the Adriatic, because strategically,
from the point Of view of future wars,
Italy needed a military foothold on the
other side of the Adriatic; but her peo
pie did not live there except in little
spots. 1t was q Slavic people. and
had to say tD my Italian friends that
everywhere else in this treaty we have
given territory to the people who lived
on it and l do not think that il is for
the advantage of Italy and | am sure
it is not for the advantage of the world
" to give Italy territory where other peo.
pie live. | felt the force of the argu.
ment for what they wanted, and it
was the old argument that had always
prevailed namely. that we needed from
Il military point of view; and | have
no doubt that yet, if there is no League
of Nations, they will need ii from a
military point of view; but if there is 4
, League of Nations they will not need
it from 4 military point of view.
If there is no League Of Nations the
military point Of view will prevail in
{ very instance and peace will be
brought into contempt, but if there Is
n League of Nations Italy need not fear
the fact that the shores on the other
| side of the Adriatic tower above her
lower sandy shores on her sides of the
} sea, because there will be no threaten.
| ing guns there and the nations of the
e world will have considered not merely
, to see that the Slavic peoples have
1 their rights, but that the Italian people
B.. have their rights as we'll
Il would rather have everybody on
t my side than be armed to the teeth;
e and every settlement that is right, every
l settlement that is based upon the prin
t ciples | have alluded to, is safe set
tlement, because the sympathy Of man
, kind will be behind it.
/ Some gentlemen have feared with
b regard to the League of Nations that
u We will be Obliged to do things We don't
want to do II the treaty were wrong
that might be so; but If the treaty is
right we viii wish to preserve right
' thirk I know the heart Of this great
people whom I for the time being
IL have the honor to represent better thar
. some other men that I hear talk
. have been bred and am proud to have
u. been bred in the old revolutionary stocl
a. which set this government up, Wher
~ America was set up as a friend Of man
y, kind. and I know-If they don't-tha
h America has never lost that vision o.
IS that purpose.
s Has No Fear Of War
d But I haven't the slightest fea
that arms will be necessary Il the pur
pose is there. II 7 know that my ad
versary is armed and 7 am not, d
not press the controversy. and II an,
e nation entertains selfish purposes Sc
IS against the principles established Fl
I this treaty. and is told by the rest o
.. the world that it must withdraw it
~ claims it Will not press them The hear
ID, Of this treaty then my fellow citizens
4 is not even that it punishes today-tha
NJ is a temporary thing-it is that it rec
titles the age-iong wrong which char
-, acterized the history Of Europe
~ There We're some OF us who wisher
~. that the scope Of the treaty wouh
e. reach some other age-long wrong. I
D.. was d big job and don't say that VI
., wished that it We're bigger. but ther
we're other wrongs elsewhere than II