The Mena weekly star., 1919-02-27
WILSON DEFIES
 LEAGUE ENEMIES
Has Fighting Blood and Asks Meth ing Better Than to Let It Have Scope iA This Contest--An tAe-
 World Trusts America.

Boston, Feb. 24.-president Wilson will fight at home as he has fought abroad for League of Nations. Re turning from France, he had been on American soil not more than three hours today before he threw down the gauntlet to those who distrust the proposed concert Of governments based, he said, on the American ideals which have won the war for justice and humanity,
 An America confining to her o.-n territories her conception and purpose to make men free, he said, would have to keep honor for those mar row selfish, provincial purposes which seem so dear to some minds which have no sweep beyond their nearest horizon
 Old World Has New Vision.
 Before responsive audience that filled the biggest auditorium in the city the President pictured the Old World fighting with stubborn desper- ation and expecting in the end noth- ing better for the peoples than they had known for centuries. He pietur- cd the American Nation entering the lists with new purpose--the free dom of mankind The old world had caught the vision, and any treaty of peace drawn otherwise than in the new spirit would be nothing more, he asserted, than a modern scrap of Da- per- and the present peace, unless guaranteed by the united forces of the civilized world, could not stand a gen- eration.
 Bending over the speakers table. his face set in tense lines and his right hand elenched, the President ex- claimed. "Any man who thinks that America will take part in giving the world any such rehuff and disap& pointment as that does not know America. 1 invite him to test the sentiment of the Nation"
 Interrupted by applause, the Pres ident halted and then evoked the greatest demonstration of the after noon when he added that he would accept no sweeter challenge than the issue of the American purpose in the war.
 Wilson's Fighting Blood Up.
 "I have fighting blood in me-" he said. with apparent feeling, "and 1t Is sometimes delight to let 1t have it's scope, but if it Is challenge on this occasion t III be an indulgence"
 At another point in his address the President said that if the great hope of the world for League of Nations was disappointed he would wish flor my part never to have had America play any part in this attempt to emancipate the world. have no more doubt of the verdict of America in this matter than 1 have of the blood that is in me-"
 The World Trusts America.
 "The greatest thing I hav- to re- port to you." said he, ais that this great country of ours is trusted thru out the world.
 "I have not come Co report on the progress of the peace conference. That would be premature.
 "The men who are in conference in Paris realize they are not masters of their people, but servants of their people and that no man will dare go home from that conference and report anything less than Is expected
 Speaking of the slow progress of the conference. the President reminded his audience of the complexity of the problems affecting nearly every coun- try in the world
 Struck by Their Moderation.
 What we are doing" he said. Sis tohear the whole case from those most interested. I have been struck by the moderation of these represent- ing national claims.
 q have seen tears in the eyes of men there pleading for national ambition, but they were not tears of anguish, they were the tears of aF- dent hope
 There IS no nation in Europe that suspects the course Of the United States. Was there ever such won derful thing before7
 q have been searching for the fun damental fact that has brought Eu- rope to believe in us. She seemed for the first three years to believe we Tell we could make more by staying out than going in.
 ''Then suddenly the whole verdict was reversed It was when they sau that America not only had ideals. but acted ideals, they became the eon- firrpnd nAtf sann4 f.f kryto#tna avsE k.x