Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-10-25
PATTERSON AUDIENCE II DIN
Ill o w COVENANT WORKS
AGAINST COUNTIsY'S
TRADITIONS
New York Sun, Oct 20, 1919


United States Senator James A,
Reed, of Missouri, went over to Pat
torson last night, accepting an invi-
tation of the citizens to analyze the
League OF Nations proposal from Il
Straightout American standpoint
lie spoke in the United States Opera
House before an audience that
crowded tho large auditorium to- the
walls and applaudcd his adress tu-
multuouSly.
He attacked with Reed fire and
Reed vigor the pretenccs of a pro-
pcSal designed, he charged, to en-
tanglo the United States in the con-
trovcrSicS of foreign nations; a
scheme, he asserted, deliberately
constructed in the secrecy OF Yer
sailics to enrich and protect tho
weakened nations of Europe and
Asia with the wealth and the mill
tary power of America. He struck
hardest of all ut the deceit practiscd
upon tho American people in lead
ing the people to believe that the
League Of Nations would end war,
and would create an earthly millen-
MUM. Nothing could be falscr, said
the Senator, since Il denomination of
tho document proved that the
league, rs planned, would be Il Ger
tain breeder of war and would be
certain to involve the United States
in wars wherein il had no concern.
League Question Demands Truth.
In beginning his address, the Sen
ator referred to the illness of the
President, saying that President,
personally, had his entire sympathy;
that no man was more hopeful of
the Presidents speedy recovery;
but that the League Of Nations Ques-
ton was 4 matter far above personal
considerations, Il question that de-
handed franlincss and truth at any
cost. He asked the citizcns of Pat
erson what they would have thought
Of the Senate had the Senate at
tempted to order the President TO
conform to its will or had abused
him for disagrccing with its views.
Time fould show the people, if they
did not altogether sec the fact now,
that the Presidents course has been
an attempt TO override the free opin
ion OF coordinate branch of the
Government
eff a citizen refuses to rcpudiato
the policies under which our country
has become great, the President cha
ractcriZes him as 'pygmy minded, -
said Senator Reed. eff he declines
to turn his back upon Washington
and Jefferson he is described as
afflicted with curious alterations of
thinking If he refuses to Surrcn-
der with the pen what Washington
gained with the sword, he is polite
" described as contemplate quit
ter If he cannot sec his way clear
to cmbroil America in the wars of
every country and to plunge her into
the controversies of every land, he
secs with jaundiced eyes
eff he ventures to point out that
Article X binds us to sond our SOL
dicrs to defend the frontiers OF
every land in every quarter of tho
globe, he is afflicted with amazing
Ignorance IF he looks with prido
upon the glorious achievements of
Americas past and refuses to aban-
don the policies which have brought
us to the heights of prosperity, he
is a dreamer living in the forgotten
age
Abused Because They Differ.
"If, after studying the league
covenant, lawyers and statesmen
reach the conclusion that it is in
imical to tho public veal, they are
classified rs men whose heads are
only TT to serve as knots to prevent
thor bodies from unravclling.' If
f1r Of cd nj
to dcfond the Constitution and to
protect the republic in strict accord
ance with the terms OF their oaths,
study the proposed covenant and
reach the conclusion that it is their
duty not to advise or to consent to
its ratification, they arc denounced
as dishonest opponents of the treaty
who will be gibbctcd and who will
regret that the gibbet is SO high
Or again. they are informed, as the
President did declare in Washington
some weeks ago, that he would like
to see them hanged upon a gibbct
as high as heaven, but pointed in
tho opposite direction
Senator Reed then described tho
secret methods by which the peace
treaty and League Nations covenant
wore formulated, and referred to
the Presidents refusal to supply tho
Senate with the important docu-
ments the Senate had requested. In
that secrecy, he continued, an at
tempt was made to set up a super
government Of the world, a super
government in which the majority
of the members would be of tho dark
skinned races and which leaves out
nearly 350,000,000 of the white
people Of the earth.
Coming to the proposal to give
the British Empire six votes in the
league assembly to one for the
United States and to the supporting
argument that this would be Of no
consequence because the assembly is
"only a deliberative body, Il sort Of
debating society,"" Senator Reed de-
nounced it as one of the most dan
gerous schemes over devised against
the future of America.
Powers OF League Assembly.