Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-05
7ext of tke President's S Address at Indianapolis


In the world which cannot. hence
forth, get hearing at that forum.
And you know, my fellow citizens,
what hearing will mean, If the
cause of those people is just The
one thing which those who have rea-
son to dread. have most reason to
dread, is publicity and discussion;
because II you are challenged to
give reason why you arc doing a
wrong thing it has to be an exceed
ingly good reason, aud if you give
bad reason you confess judgment and
the opinion of mankind goes against
you.
Secret Treaties Everywhere
There is another thing in this
covenant, which was ono of mum
brr of difficulties that we cncoun-
tered at Paris. I need not toll YOU
that at every turn in these discus
sions We came across some secret
treaty, some understanding that had
never been made public before, some
understanding that embarrassed the
Wholc settlement.
think it will not be improper for
me to refer to one Of these matters.
When we came to the settlement of
the Shantung question. with regard
to China. we found that Great Britain
and France were under specific treaty
obligations to Japan that she should
get exactly what she got in the treaty
with Germany: aud the most that we
..,l. 4 n. n
United States could dO--was TO urge
upon the representatives of Japan
the very fatal policy that was in
volved in such u settlement, and oh.
tain from her the promise. which she
gave, that she would not take advan-
tage Of those portions of the treaty,
but would return without gualifica.
tiOR the sovereignty which Germany
had enjoyed in Shantung province TO
the republic of China.
We have had repeated assurances
since then that Japan intends to full
ill those promises in absolute good
faith. But my present point is that
there stood at the very gate Of that
settlement secret treaty between
japan aud two of the great powers
engaged in this war on our side. We
could not ask them to disregard these
promises. This war had been fought,
in part, because of the refusal to OBJ
serve the fidelity which is involved
in promise, in a failure TO regard
the saCrcdncSS of treaties. And this
covenant of the League of nations
provides that no secret treaty shall
have any validity.
Central Covenant cf Peace
| When you look at the covenant
! of the league Of nations thus. in
! the large, YOU wOnGrr why it is II bogy
to anybody: you wonder what in
tlucnreS have made gentlemen afrnl
of it; you wonder why it is not oh
vous to everybody rs 1t is to those
who study it with diSintercst"d
thought, that this is the central and
| essential covenant of the whole peace.
You would think. to hear some
men discuss this covenant, that it is
an arrangement for sending men
abroad again just as soon as possible.
| II is the only conceivable arrange
ment which will prevent our sending
our men abroad again. very soon.
| (ApplauseD And, il | may use a
very common expression, | wouIG
say, eff it is not to be this ar
rangcmcnt. what arrangement 40
YOU suggest to secure the peace OF
| the world: 1t is Il case ot put up
| or shut up.
Opposition is not going to save
! the world negations are not going to
! construct the policies of mankind
! 4 great plan is the only thing that
| can defeat II great plan. The only
/ triumphant ideas in this world arc
] ideas that are organized, for the only
thing that equals un organized pro
| gram is a better program.
Expects Ratification Soon
II this is not the way to secure
peace. beg that the way may be
pointed out If we must reject this
way. then | beg that, before l an
sent to ask Germany to make new
kind of peace with us, should bt
given specific instructions as to what
kind of peace it is to be.
If the gentlemen who don't like
what was done in Paris think that
they can do something better b'h
that they will hold their ronvcn'
ti0n soon and do it now They can.
not, in conscience, Or good faith
deprive us of this great work %
pracc without substituting some othc
thrt * better.
And so, my fellow citizens,
! look forward. with profound gratiti
cation. to the time which | bc'iev
; will not now much longer be delaye
when the American people can sa
D to their fellows in all parts of tn
world. "We are the friends of lib
/ rr,y: we have joined with the res
Y Of mankind in securing the guarantee
. of liberty we stand here with Won
2 tho eternal champion of what is right
sud may tod keep us in the coyenan