New-York tribune., 1919-09-18
. ilson Tells
Ireland Hope
Is in League
Continued from page 1

because the peace conference had
no 1uflsSiction over any question of
that sort. which did not affect terri
torres which belonged to the de-
1eated empires. My position on the
subject of selfdetermination for
ireland is expressed in Article XII of
!"e covenant, in which l may say
was particularly interested, be-
cause 1t seemed to ME necessary for
the peace and freedom of the world
that forum should be- created to
winch all peoples could bring anv
matter which was likely to affect
the peace and freedom of the world
New Policy Toward China
The Presidents assertions regarding
Sh'na were made in his luncheon ad.
oieSs. Discussing at length the
Shantung provision of the peace treaty.
fresldent Wilson said that he had been
assured by the great powers that un-
DER the league of nations there would
De new international policy for the
protection of Chinese integrity.
The powers, said Mr.. Wilson. had
Japans promise to return Shantunr tn
Shina and intended to see that it was
Iulhiled under the league He said
he had asked his colleagues at Var
sal,ies speclhcally whether they meant
under the league to inaugurate a new
policy toward China and they told him
they did 'A'
Far from being detrimental to
ohlna interests, declared Mr.. Wilson,
the treaty really was the first in the
words history to do something for
Chna's benefit. In all previous in
stances of acquisition of Chinese terri
tory, he said, the United States had
not even protested
Inc fresldent's declarations were re-
celved with applause and cheers by the
1000 women present. There were cries
OF No No!' when he asked whether
1t would be wise to go to war over
Shantung. There is no other way, he
sad. to secure the immediate return
OF the province to China.
Not Satisfied, He Admits
In his luncheon speech the President
SAID ne was not satisfied with the Shan
tung settlement, but that it was cir
rational to propose to make the situa-
ton better by the treatys amendment.
He traced at length the growth of
Japanese power in Shantung, declaring
the original grant OF the Shantunr
rights to Germany was the result of a
hypocrtical demand by the German
Foreign Office
Yet, at the time Of that demand con-
tinued Mr.. Wilson, President Mckinley
made no protest on the part of the
American government. Neither were
protests made, he asserted, when other
nations took parts of Chinese territory.
=" hlch of the gentlemen that are
now protesting,' he asked "were
prominent IN protesting against the
original grant to Germany? 1t makes
my heart burn when some men are so
late in doing justice"
Mr.. Wilson also discussed the Mon
roe Doctrine, Article K and the right
of withdrawal from the league. re-
peating previous arguments against
reservations on those points, and de-
clarlng some of the changes proposed
involved merely a question of literary
style.
Defends Voting Ratio
Turning to the objection that Great
Britain has six votes in the league
assembly. Mr.. Wilson said it so hap
pened that "our one vote is just as
powerful as their six" There is no
case in which the assembly could vote
on any important subject except ad-
mission of new members without a de-
cision first having been made by the
council in which there was IN equality
of votes.
President Wilson's address at the
associated Women's Club luncheon, in
part. folloacs:
quite apart from the merits of
any particular question which may
arise from the merits of any par
ticular question which may arise
about the treaty itself | think we
are under a certain more compul-
sion to accept this treaty.
In the first place, it was laid
down according to American speci-
fications. The initial suggestions
upon which this treaty IS based
emanated from America. ! would
not have you understand me as
meaning that they were ideas con-
fined TO America because the
promptncss with which they were
accepted. the Joy with which they
We're acclaimed in some parts of the
world, the readiness of the leaders
of nations that were supposed to be
seeking chiefly their own interests
in adopting these principles as the
principles of the treaty show that
they were listening to the counsels
OF their own people; they were lis
tening to them and knew the crti-
necessity we were under to take any
measures for the peace of the world.
There was a conference in Paris
not many months before we went
into the war in which the nations
then engaged against Germany at
tempted to draw together in an ex-
elusive economic combination, where
they should serve one another's in
terest and exclude those who had
WI Io1r,. t1d ko
sharing in that interest. And just
SO certainly as we stay out every
market that can possibly be closed
against us will be closed.
Under Compulsion to
Stay in Partnership
$50 that if you merely look at it
from the material point of view, of
the material prosperity of the United
States, we are under compulsion to
stay in the partnership