Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-09-06


either submitted the matter in contro-
versy TO arbitration in whicis ease they
agree to abide by the verdict, or sub
mitting il to discussion in the counsel
of the leagne of nations and for that
purpose they consent TO allow six
months for the discussion and whether
they like the opinion expressed or not
nine months discussions and I want to
remind you that is the central principle
/ of some thirty treaties entered into be-
tween the United States of America and
some thirty other sovereign nations. all
of which are confirmed by the senate
Of the United states.( Applause.)
We have such an agreement With
France, we have such an agreement with
Great Britain, we have such an agree
ment with practically every grea: Ma
tion except Germany, which refused 10
enter into such an agreement beca-sc,
my fellow citizens, Germany knows that
sic intended something that didn t bear
discussion and that if she had submit.
ted Inc purpose which led to this war
lto 50 much as one months s discussion,
she heNer would have dared 90 into the
n.erprise against mankind, which she
finally did go into and therefore, say
this principle Of discussion is the princi-
pie already adopted by America and
what ic the compuls.on to do this' The
eenrulsion is this, that if any meuber
state violates that promise to submit
either to arbitration or discussion, II ,s
thereby ipso faeto deemed to have com
mitteI an act of war against ali the
rest
Then, YOU will ask, do we at once
take up arms and fight thems No. We
do something very much more terrible
than that. We absolutely boycott them
(appluse) 1t is provided in that in :
strument that there shall be no com
munieation even between them and the
rest of the world. They shall receive
no goods; they shall ship no goods; they
shall receive no telegraphic messages;
they shall send none; they shall receive
no mail; no mail will be received from
them. The nationals, the citizens of the
member state will never enter their ter
ritory until the matter is adjusted and
their citizens cannot leave their terri
tory. The most complete boycott ever
conceived in a public document. And
want to say to you with confident
prediction that there win be NO nor.
fighting after that.
Gentlemen talk to you as If the
most probable outcome OF this great
combination of all the fighting people
OF the world, was going to be fighting,
whereas, as matter of fact, the essence
OF the document is to the effect that
the processes shall be peaceful, and
peaceful processes are more deadly than
the processes of war. Let any mer-
chant put up to himself, that he enters
INTO covenant and then breaks ii and
the people all around absolutely desert
ms establishment and will have moth.
ing to do with him, ask him sitter that
If it will be necessary to send the DO
lice. The most terrible thing that can
happen to an Individual and the most
conclusive thing that can happen 10 q
nation is to be read out of decent So
ciety. (Applause.)
"There was another thing that we
needed to accomplish that is accom-
plished in this document We want dis
armament and this document provides
the only possible way for disarmament
by common agreement. Observe, my fel,
low citizens, that Just now every great
fighting nation in the world is a mem
Der of this partnership except Germany
and inasmuch as Germany has accepted
4 limitation of her army to 100000 men,
1 don t think for, the time being she
may be regarded as a great fighting
nation Here in the center Of Europe,
a great nation of more than sixty mil.
lions, that has agreed not to maintain
an army of more than 100000 men and
all around her, the rest of the world in
concert to see that no other nation as.
sumes what she attempted and agree.
ing among themselves that they will not
impose this limitation of armament up
on Germany merely, but that they will
impose it upon themselves.
And You know, my fellow citizens,
that armaments mean great standing
armies and great stores of war material
They do net mean burdeasomc taxation
merely, they do not mean merely com
pulsory military service, which saps the
economic strength of the nation, but
they mean the building up of military
class, Again and again, my fellow ciu-
zens, in the conference at Paris, we
were face to face with this situation:
that in dealing with particular civil
government we found that they would
not dare to promise that their general
staff was not willing that they should
promise; and that they were dominated
by the military machine which they had
created nominally for their own defense,
but really whether they willed it or not,
for the provoeation of war. And so, as
long as You have military class, it
does not make any difference what your
form of government is. If you are de-
termined to be armed to the teeth, YOU
must obey the orders and directions of
the only men who can control the great
machinery of war. Elections are of
minor Importance because they deter
mine the political policy; snd back of
that policy is the standing pressure of
the men trained to arms, enormous bod
les of disciplined men behind them, un-
limited supplies of military stores and
wondering if they are never going to be
allowed to use their education and their