Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-06

morning at Kansas City. Mo.
1t is the fifth speech he has
made since starting his tour of
the country, the first being at
Columbus, Ohio, the next at In
dianapOIis, Ind, one yesterday
noon and another last night at
st. Louis, Mo. Tonight he will
deliver an address at Des
MONIES, Ia.
Kansas City. Mo. Sept 6.-In
his address today President Will
son said:
II came back from Paris. bring
ing one of the greatest documents
of human history. One of the
things that made it great was that
it was penetrated throughout with
the principles 10 which America
has devoted her life One of the
most delightful circumstances of
the work on the other side was that
discovered that what we called
American principles had pene-
trated to the heart and to the IN
derstanding, not only of the great
people of Europe, but the hearts and
understanding of the great men
who were representing the peoples
of Europe.
Ending War, Long c. s. Aim.
"One of the things that America
has had most at heart throughout
her existence has heen that there
should be substituted for the bru-
tai processes of war the friendly
processes OF consultation and ar
bitration, and that is done in the
covenant Of the League of Nations.
| am very anxious that my fellow
citizens should realize that his is
the chief topic of the covenant of
the League of Nations, the greater
part of its provisions. The whole
intent and purpose of the dOcu-
ment are expressed IN provisions
by which all the member states
agree that they will never go to
war without first having done one
or other of two things, either sub
mitted the matter in controversy
to arbitration, in which case they
agree to abide by the verdict, OF
submitting it to discussion in the
council of the League of Nations,
and for that purpose they consent
to allow six months for the discus
sion, and whether they like the
opinions expressed or not, that
they will not go to war for three
months after that opinion has been
expressed, so that You have,
whether you get arbitration or not,
nine months discussion. That is
the central principle of some thirty
treaties entered into between the
United States of America and some
thirty other sovereign nations, all
Of which arc confirmed by the SEN
ate of the United States.
Boycott Most Useful Weapon.
I'VE have such an agreement
with France: we have such an
agreement with Great Britain; we
have such an agreement with
practically every great nation ex-
cept Germany which refused to en-
ter into such an agreement be-
cause Germany knew she intend
ed something that did not bear
discussion and that if she had sub
niitted the purpose which led 10
this war to SO much as one
months discussion, she never
would have dared to go into the
enterprise against mankind zap
plause) and therefore 1 say that
this principle of discussion is the
principle already adopted by Amer
lea. And what is the compulsion
to do this? The compulsiOn is
this: that if any member state vi
oIates that promise to submit
either to arbitration or discussion,
it is thereby ipsO facto deemed to
have committed an act of war
against the rest. Then you will
ask, do we at once take up arms
and fight them? No. We do some
thing very much more terrible
than that. We absolutely boycott
them. The most terrible thing
that can happen to any individual
and the most conclusive thing
that can happen to a nation is to
be read out of decent society. Gap
plause.)
Will Bring Disarmament.
There was another thing that
we needed to accomplish, that is
accomplished in this document.
We wanted disarmament and this
document provides in the only pos
sible way for disarmament by com
mon agreement. Just now every
great fighting nation in the world
is a member of this partnership ex-
cept Germany and inasmuch as
Germany has accepted a limitation
of her army to 100000 men, l don't
think for the time being she may
be regarded as great fighting
nation.
MilitariSm's Cost.
At Paris, we were face to face
with this situation: that in dealing |
with a particular civil government |
we found that they would not dare !