The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1919-01-30
Big Man Peace
Eec1y7fes Wo1Zd
TEXT OF THE PRESIDENTS
SPEECH AT THE CONFERENCE

peace conference Saturday:
"Mr. Chairman: I consider f.
distinguished privilege to be permit
ted to open the discussion in thi
conference on the league of nations
We have assembled for two purpose
TO make the present settlement
which have been rendered necessar
by this war, and also to secure tn
peace of the world, not only bv tn
present settIeTn ents. but the ARRANGE
ments we shall make at this confer
ence for it's maintenance.
Why Necessary.
"The league of nations seems to m,
to be necessary for both of these nv.
poses: There are many complicatec
questions connected with the presen
settlements, which perhaps cannot bt
successfully worked out to an ulti
mate issue by the decisions we shall
arrive at here. / can easily conceive
that many of these settlements viii
need subsequent alterations in some
degree, for if I may Judge bv INV own
study of some of these questions thew
are not susceptible for. confident
judgments at present.
Set Up Machinery.
'1t is, therefore, necessary that we
should set up some machinery bv
which the work of this conference
should be rendered complete.
eve have assembled here for the
purpose of doing very much more
than making the present settlements
that are necessary. We are assem-
bled under very peculiar conditions
of world opinion. I may say, without
straining the point, that we are not
the representa- tives of governments.
but representatives of peoples.
Opinion of Mankind.
"1t will not suffice to satisfy gov
ernment circles anywhere. It is nee
essary that we should satisfy the
opinion of mankind.
"The burdens of this war have
fallen in an unusual degree upon the
whole population of the countries in
volved. do not need to draw for YOU
the picture of how the burden has
been thrown back from the front upon
the older men, upon the women, upon
the children, upon the homes of the
civilized world and how the real strain
of the war has come where the eve
of the government could not reach.
but where the heart of humanity
beats.
Such a Strain Comes No More.
eve are hidden by these people to
see to it that this strain does not
come upon them again. And I ven
ture to say that 1t has been possible
for them to bear this strain because
they hoped that those who represent
ed them could get together after this
war and make such another sacrifice
solemn obligation on our
part, therefore, to make permanent
al be
rendered and peace maintained.
"This is the central object of our
Meeting. Settlements may be tempo
'ary, but the action of the nations in
he interest of peace and justice must
'e permanent processes. We may not
oe able to set up permanent deci-
ion.
Therefore, it seems to me that we
must take as far as we can picture
i the world into our minds. Is it
lot startling circumstance, for one
ming, that the great discoveries of
cience, that-the quiet studies of men
n laboratories, tnat the thoughtful
evelOpments which have taken rlsce
Il quiet lecture rooms have now been
urned to the destruction OF cIvlllza-
ION? Inc powers of destruction have
ot so much multiplied, as they have
aimed facilities
Keep Science Within Bounds.
THE enemy, whom we have just
Vercome, had at his seats of learn
cientifc study and discovery, and he
sed them in order to make destruc-
ion sudden and complete. And only ]
ne watchful and continuous cooper ]
ton of men can see to it that sci {
nee, as we'll as armed men, is kept {
1ithin the harness of civilization.
I'm a sense, the United States is {
ess interested in this subject than
he other nations here assembled. ]
With her great territory and her ex- G
ensive sea boarders, it is less likely :
nat the United States should suffer y
rom the attack of enemies than that c
ther nations should suffer. And the 2
rdor of the United States-for it is 9
very deep and genuine ardor-for t
he society of nations is not an ardor v
bringing out of fear or. apprehen- l
ION, but an ardor springing out of t
he ideals which have come in the Y
of this war. i
Why Uncle Sam Stepped In. y
"In coming into this war the Unit
states never Tor moment CnOugnL
lat she was intervening in the poll
cs of Europe or the politics of Asia, Z
the politics of any part of the Q
orld. Her thought was that all the {
orld had now become conscious that u
lere was single cause of justice II
nd of liberty for men Of every kind q
nd place.
Therefore, the United States Q
lould feel that it's part in this war .
lould be played in vain if there en- K
led upon it abortive European set c,
ements. 1t would feel that it could Z
ot take part in guaranteeing those n
uropean settlements unless that o.
larantee involved the continuous su- W
of the peace of the
orld by the associated nations of the So