The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-09-05


i;you upon the work which the rep
: isentatives of the United States at,
4empted TO do at the conference ot
Neaoe on the other side OF the sea,
because realize, my fellow citizens.
ahst my colleagues and ], in the task
&e attempted over there. were your
servants. We went there with
1istinct errand, which il was our duty
so perform in the spirit which you
have displayed in the prosecution OF
lhe war and in conceiving the pur-
poses and objects of that war.
Recalls Events Of War.
Il was in the city Of Columbus,
this afternoon, where | was en-
deavoring 10 explain 10 body
OF our fellow citizens there just
what It was that the treaty OF
peace ,lntained, Tor ! must frank
" admit that in most OF the
) speeches that | have heard in de-
bate upon the treaty OF reace. 1t
woud be impossible to form a
( definite conception OF what that
instrument means.
IL want to recall TO YOU for the
purpose OF this evening, the circIin-
stances of the war and the purposes
for which our men spent their lives
on the other side OF the sea.
Starts From Beginning.
"You will remember that a prince
Of the house OF Austria was slain III
one OF the cities OF Serbia. Serbia
was one OF the small kingdoms OF
Europe, She had no strength which
sany OF the great powers needed to
fear. As we see the war now, Ger
many and those who conspired with
her. made a pretcxt OF that Accusation
in order TO make unconscionable de-
mauds from the helpless and weak
Kingdom OF Serbia, not with view
OF bringing about an acquicscence
OF those demands, but with a view
OF bringing about conflict in which
their purposes, qu te separate from
Abe purposes connected with these de-
mands. could be achieved.
~Just so soon as these demands
were made. other nations OF Europe
sent tclegraphic messages 10 their
representatives at Vienna and Berlin.
urging them 10 ask the governments
OF Vienna and Bcrl.~ 10 enter into
discussion OF these matters.
Then World Jumped In.
"I was recalling, my fellow citi-
gems, the circumstances which began
/ the terrible conflict that has jus,
been concluded.
$50 soon as the unconscionable de-
mands OF Austria were made on ser
bia. the other governments OF EUROPE
.yent teegraph'c messages 10 Berlr
and Vienna. asking that the matte
he brought into a conference And
u significant circumstances OF the
Rinning OF this war is that tho
austrian and German governments
did not dare to discuss the demands
cn Serbia or the purpose which they
had ip view.
at is universally admitted on the
other side OF the war, that IT they
had gone into international confer =
ence on the Austrian demands, the
war never would have been begun
There was an insistent demand IRON
LcndQn, for example. bv the British
foreign minister that the cabinets OF
Europe should be given time to colt
fer with the governments at Vienna
! and Berlin. The government at Wen
m and Berlin did not dare to admit
time for discussion.
4 What Critics Have Avoided.
" am recalling these circumstances
nv fellow citizens, because | want Il
point on, TO you what apparently ha'
escaped the attention OF some OF IN,
critics OF the league Of nations tina
M hear, OF the league OF nations doc
not lie in any Of the portions whici
have been discussed in public debate
the great bulk of the provisions o
that covenant contained these engage
frents and promises on the part oI
the states which undertook to be
come members Of it, That in no cir
cumstanccs will they 20 to war with
out first having either submitted the
question 10 arbitra,ion--in which case
'hey agree to abide by the result, or
having submitted the question TO dis
eussion by the council OF the league
AZ NDt
allow six months for the discussions
and engage not TO 20 to war until
Vree months after the council has
-eancaneed its opinion upon the sub
ject under dispute.
IN $50 that the heart OF the COW
4 enant OF the league is that the ma
fions solemnly covenant not TO so
to war Tor nine months after
controversy becomes acute.
III there had been nine DAYS Of dis
cussion Germany would not have
gone to war
Americas Pledge.
k $50 that what il is important :
Tor US to remember is that when
I;e1e sent these boys in Khaki acress
" sea. we promised them, we
omised the world, that we would
: cpncIude this conflict with a
yofVaty of peace. We entered
d16ma engagements with all
ooljono tilh whom we asso.
n on1eG ~ That ue would
Fl e&rut ~ Mind Of settle
rJ ~ a1akaf ~ SAe1su6A ~ the