The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-08
JOHNSON SEES WAR
TRUST IN LEAGUE
"The Issue Is America Says
Senator Attacking Cove
nant Terms.
PACT IS CALLED SECRET
Shall U. s. Blood Uphold Old
World Governments?
He Asks.
Special Despatch to THE SUN.

PROVIDENCE, July THE League of
war. but in reality is a league OF armed
nations in a gigantic war trust"
The foregoing and similar statements
bristled in the speech here tonight Of
Senator Hiram johnson OF California in
opposition to the League Of Nations
covenant. 1t was the opening speech of
the California Senator's tour Of New
England under the auspices of the
League for the Preservation OF Amer
lean Independence and was delivered in
infantry Hall before an audience that
vigorously applauded the speakers de-
nunciation and criticisms OF the cove
nant and its purposes.
THE issue is America. And am an
American" Senator Johnson began
in its very creation the League OF
Nations has been stripped Of every
idealistic purpose it ever had. 1t con-
tains within itself the garments of many
wars, and worse than that, It rivets, as
in the Shantung decision. the chains OF
tyranny upon Millions of people and &C.
ments for all time unjust and wicked an
nexations. This League of Nations. with
the men who really wrote It. was meant
to obtain peace only in so far as peace
maintained forever iTiolate their terri
tories and their subject peoples and II
was meant that this kind of peace should
be obtained by the exercise of the rover
and the force OF the United States.
League Propaganda Assaulted.
In his speech Senator Johnson emnha-
sized the fact that the league covenant
had been drawn in Secret and that popu-
lar support for 1t had been promoted
and stimulated in this country by tre-
mendous national propaganda. paid for
BY millions and millions OF dollars
"srung by taxation from an overbur-
dened people"
Continuing Senator Johnson said:
"Of all the singular and astonishing
intellectual distortions induced by the
advocacy of the League of Nations. not
the least remarkable is the reproach to
patriotism and the denunciation Of those
who think first OF our Republic. II is
rare. indeed. that any speech Is made
In favor OF the league which does NOT
bitterly condemn Americans who think OF
their own country first. We who would
protect and preserve our own nation, who
Loyalty and periodically would hesitate
to involve its sons and its future genera
lions in perpetual and continuous war
fare. are designated as little, selfish
and provincial Americans-even men
without international human sympathy
and bereft of world vision. For inc
first time In our history the Jealous
guarding OF our own. the love OF our
traditions and our institutions, the pas
sion for our land and our liberty, have
become grievous sins.
Those Of us who have spent a part
of our lives in humanitarian endeayor
were resolved after the experience OF
this great conflict TO take, as far as
human agency could, some forward step
to preclude another. To all Of these
people-and number myself among
them-the idea OF n league or confedera-
ton or union of the nations Of the earth
in behalf OF the right possessed charm
and an allurement. a hope and an in
spiration which we would have gone
far To realize and consummate. The
various phases of our establishment
l will not dwell upon. Each milestone
OF the Peace Conference successfully
marks them. The beautiful phrases OF
altruism and idealism are found, as
often has been the case in the last few
years, but mere words. They were
never translated into deeds. And.
ultimately, with the presentation OF the
covenant came the shattering OF all our
fond hopes.