Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-01-30
In Opening Debate He Asserts
Conferees Are Represents
atives Of Peoples"
SELECT CLASSES NO LONGER
RULE, SAYS EXECUTIVE.
1--WE Can Set Up Permanent Processes,
Not Permanent Decision" 10 Speak
er,s eeIlef-With American Soldiers
He 10 "crusadsr In q Great Cause
and Must Attain End At Any Cost.

President Wilson's address on the
league Of nations, delivered before the
peace conference Saturday:
Mr.. Chairman: I consider 1t dis
tinguished privilege to be permitted to
open the discussion in this conference
on the league Of nations. We have
assembled for two purposes-to make
the present settlements which have
been rendered necessary by this war,
and also to secure the peace Of the
world, not only by the present settle
ments, but by the arrangements we
shall make at this conference for its
maintenance.
The league Of nations seems to me to
DO necessary for both of these pur-
poses. There are many complicated
questions connected with the present
settlements which perhaps cannot be
successfully worked ont to an ultimate
issue by the decisions we shall arrive
at here. can easily conceive that
many Of these settlements will need
subsequent alteration in some degree,
for ii I may Judge by my own study of
some of these questions they are not
susceptible to confident judgments at
present.
1t Is therefore necessary that we
should set up some machinery by which
the work of this conference should be
rendered complete.
Representatives Of Peoples.
We have assembled here for the pur-
pose Of doing very much more than
making the present settlements that
are necessary. We are assembled under
very peculiar conditions Of world
opinion. I may say, without straining
the point, that we are not the repre-
sentatives Of governments, but repre-
sentatives Of the peoples.
1t will not suffice to satisfy govern
ment circles anywhere. It is necessary
that we should satisfy the opinion Of
mankind.
The burdens Of this war have fallen
IN an unusual degree upon the whole
population Of the countries involved. ]
do not need to draw for You the pic
ture Of how the burden has been
thrown back from the front upon the
older men, upon the women, upon the
children, npon the homes Of the civil
lied world, and how the real strain of
the war has come where the eyes Of
the government could not reach, but
where the heart of humanity beats.
We are hidden by these people to
make peace which will make them
to It that this strain does not come
that 1t has been possible for them to
bear this strain because they hoped
that those who represented them could
get together after this war and make
such another sacrifice unnecessary.
Must Maintain Peace.
This is solemn obligation on our
part, therefore, to make permanent
arrangements that Justice shall be
rendered and peace maintained.
This is the central object Of our
meeting. Settlements may be temper.
airy, but the action Of the nations in
the interest Of peace and Justice must
be permanent. We can set up perma.
nent processes. We may not be able to
set up permanent decision.
Therefore, it seems to me that we
must take. as far as we can a picture Of
the world into. our minds. Is 1t not q
startling circumstance, for one thing
that the great discoveries Of science
orat0ries, that the thoughtful develop
ments which have taken place in quiet
lecture rooms, have now been turned to
the destruction Of civilization? The
powers Of destruction have not sc
much multiplied as they have gained
facilities.
The enemy, whom we have jus,
overcome, had at his seats of learning
some Of the principal centers Of scien
titic study and discovery, and he used
them In order to make destruction
sudden and complete. And only the
watchfnl and continuous cooperation
of men can see to It that science, az
well as armed men. IL kept within the
harness Of civilization.
In sense, the United States is less
interested in this subject than the
other nations here assembled. With
her great territory and her extensive
sea borders, 1t ID less likely that the
United States should suffer from the
| attack Of enemies than the Other
nations should suffer. And the artioI
Of the United States for It is very
deep and genulAe ardor- for the
J society Of nations is not an ardol
springing ont Of fear or apprehension
but an artor spranging from the ideals
i which have come In the consciousness
Of this war.
In coming into this war the United
States never for moment thought
that she was Intervening In the politics
Pstrareh and Laura.
petfarch's romance With rAur, :,