Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-09-26
JOHNSON ASKS FOR
REJECTION OF PACT
CALIFORNIAN MAKES ADDRESS
AT SPECIAL SESSION OF MIN
NESoTA LEGISLATURE.
Abandons Proposed Trip to Coast TO
Answer President Wilson's Speeches
in Order to Return to Washington
to Take up Fight in Senate.

st. Paul, Minn.-Senator Hiram w.
johnson of California in an address
delivered to a special session of the
Minnesota legislature Friday morning,
September 10, presented his arguments
In opposition to the unqualified ratifi-
cation of the league of nations cove
nant.
| The senator expressed the opinion
1 that If action on the league could be
/ delayed sixty days the people would
speak In positive terms and insist upon
| Its defeat or amendment so as to pro-
teet the eountry's interest. M
! Public sentiment against the league
is growing every day and is fast as
Stunning the proportions of a revolu-
tion," said Senator Johnson. Its
friends realize that If it is not rushed
through now, before the people have
| had an opportunity to understand it,
their cause Is hopeless That explains
| the haste to have it ratified without
amendment"
/ He referred to the fourteen points
which President Wilson had declared
would be Incorporated In the peace
pac.. and asserted that he was obliged
to abandon them one by one and &C.
! cept treaty written by European dip
lomats.
Following his st. Paul address, Sem
ator Johnson announced that he would
abandon his proposed trip to the coast
to answer President Wilson's speeches
and would return to Washington ON
Sunday to take up the fight in the SEN
ate for the adoption of amendments
proposed by opponents of the admin
istration program.
Addresses were made by Senator
johnson at Minneapolis and st. Paul
ON Saturday.
Before leaving Minneapolis for
Washington, Senator johnson said
II deeply regret that I am obliged to
abandon the speaking trip to California
which had planned to answer Pres
ident Wilson's arguments on the
league of nations. But l feel that l
should be In Washington when action
Is taken on my. amendment to. the
peace pact which is designed to cor
rect Great Britain's preponderance of
voting strength in the assembly of the
league of nations.
II believe this amendment will be
finally acted upon by the senate this
week, and then may decide to go to
California to deliver a number of adj
dresses.
''The success of my speaking trip
through the middle west was beyond
my fOndest expectations. My purpose
was to arouse the people to thought
on this important question and | be-
lieve I succeeded"
Americas entry into the league Of
nations will mark the formation of a
partnership between the one going SOL
vent country in the world with certain
European bankrupts, who, after our
first experience in meddling and mud
ding in foreign politics, have come to
secretly despise and detest us, declar-
ed Senator johnson, in addressing a
large and enthusiastic audience at
Duluth, Friday night.
1.-The league of nations" he said.
b~rs have been gorged with territory,
with their boundaries and their limits
Increased beyond the widest dreams
and with other immense tracts of the
worlds surface yet to be distributed
among them.
After these extraordinary acces
sions of territory, the one going solvent
national concern on earth undertakes
by article X to guarantee forever these
extraordinary territorial limits.
''This section freezes the world into
immutability. 1t assumes to put the
world in strait-jacket, wherein there
can be no movement for. betterment or
progress of humanity.
beyond and above all this, the main
tenance of this static condition is to
be accomplished by the blood of just
one nation, and that is ours"
AS a guest of the Commercial asso-
citation at Lincoln, Neb., on Thursday,
Senator johnson gave Lincoln business
men his reasons for opposing the rati-
fication of the league of nations COW
enant In its present form.
Senator johnson discussed the var
ious amendments to the peace pact
pending in the senate and made a stir
ring appeal for changes in the docu-
ment. which, he declared. are neces-
sary for the adequate safeguarding of
American interests.
Senator John, at a luncheon given
by Omaha business men on Septem-
Der IL, made plea for the defeat of
the covenant in its present form.