The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1919-10-24

have the stamp OF the decision OF
senate majority. | can never vote 10
ratffy without safeguards. ] am not
yet persuaded To cast ratifying vote
without amendments. ] havs listened
to the committees earnest discsls-
| sions. There was no fixed program
| CT action In advance. | have sought
| to retain fairly open mind, withhold
| Ing unaiterabie utterance In the Lace
OF the charge OF wahbling indecision.
Amendments Should Be Adopted.
| mean TO vote for the amendments
/ proposed by the committee. They
1 ought to be adented If the president
| Is correct In declaring the proposed
4 reservations will send the treaty back.
4 then amendments will not undnly de.
| lay. Suppose there In delay? Civil
| tied peoples are not supposed to move
unthinkingly In creating the snrnass
Ing covenant Of ali the ages This r
| an epoch-making treaty. no matter
what Its terms prescribe.
i America need not fear the illwili
OF our allied covenanters. Their need
for our cooperation is not SO critical
as when the German armies were bat
5 tering the western battle fronts, but
Europe needs us Infinitely more than
we need Eurore. The aftermath IL
little less difficult than the problems
OF war itself We can carry the BAN
ners OF America to the new Elysiufn.
even though We have TO furi them
before we enter.
II liz we'll to do any Job right. IL IL
imperative to do mighty Job right,
especially when ii involves the faia
OF all civilization II the world is 10
start all over, ii ought to start wita
the square deal. The treaty has net
written it; the square deal was re-
served for informal promises not ut
tered In the supreme document.
Though we performed great service
. In armed battling For preserved civil
i2ation, we have yet a greater service
, | to render to the same civilization Dy
making the covenant OF peace ever
lastly righteous.
,, All fair men retsize the embarrass-
ment incident to the Shantung award
Perhaps we can not change 1t. No
!. enc believes we mean to go to war to
!. restore to China what Germany looted
and japan traded for. But we need
). not be party To an international ini-
: morality that challenges cur every ut
! terance about lofty purposes and the
7 reign Of Justice. want Il recorded.
for all the world to read. that Amer
: lea esteems her unarmed friend no
less than she respects her armed as
sociate,
! Delay 10 Mot Dangerous.
/, IL reservations are to send the Ger
n man treaty and league covenant back.
i we ought to amend fully. we ought to
O. write into the text the things which
% America Is thinking There has been
ID inclination to yield some points rather
than neceastate prolonged delay We
now know there are to be reserva-
: tions. unmistaken reservations, else
!. there will be no treaty They must
! speak In clearest terms. The cove
I, nant Is unthinkable without them
: These reservations must be strong
s and unmistakable. | could no more
! !, support mild reservations, than |
= could sanction mild Americanism.
I, These reservations come OF pur-
= pose TO protect America first. aud still
y save framework on which to build
Z intelligent cooperation, There res
3 eryations come OF desire to offer
y opportunity for clearing house for
= the consciences of peoples. These
y maintain our own peace, and are Will.
ing to encourage Europe's effort to-
l IA
= these reservations there must be no
y surrender Of the basic things on which
~ this nation was builded to the pres
le ent.day height Of world eminence.
The Conscience Of the Republic.
without the amendments we shall
be remiss In uttering the conscience
~ OF the republic, without strong res
=. ervations we shall be recreant to duty
" ! This Is not the universal thought
y There Is dispute about Il being. the
Y majority thought OF the Anlericx 49,
= lions, but / balieve 1t vii
y the deliberate Judgment of,
~ II such course delays fS MS
tion, let reconstruction walt n
~ ed the long negotiation at parMS III
~ waited amid barter, 1t can await cor
y, ~ rection where the blunder was made
~ You have heard the call of finance
vaicing It's impatience. Let financs
- recall that fundamental Americanisu
III transcends its Importance for toda,
e and the morrow, too. Industry call!
er for normal conditions OF formal peace
r. Let industry remember that national
SO ism Is It's fostering influence. and In
~ ternatlonaiisnl means to merge its Ia
he terests with the industries OF tn,
an world Momentous achievements ar
Q: not wrought In impatiencs.
to
ns Danger to Souls. Not Hearts.
ty do not believe. senator's, that 1t i
ID going TO break the heart of TIN
on world" to make this covenant rsghi
| or at least free from psriIs whicl
In would endanger our own independ
ence. BtA 1t were better to wftnas
M the rhetorical tragedy than destro
at the soul OF this great republic.
to II lis very allnring thing, Mr.. Pres
IN ident, to do what the world has neys
It's done before No republic has perms
is. aently survived. They have aashet
illumined, and advanced the world
&? and faded or crnmbled. want to b
no contributor 70 the abiding republis
lot
on
i'd.