Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-04

.
be Adjusted to Germany's ability to
pay ii.
am astonished Mt some Of the
statements | see made about this
treaty and the truth is that they are
made by persons who have not read
the treaty or who, if they have read
II. have not comprehended its mean
ing.
Germany Must Pay to Limit
There is method of adjustment in
thc treaty by which the reparaton
shall not be pressed beyond the point
which Germany can pay. but she will
be pressed to the utmost point that
she can pay, which is just. which is
righteous.
II would be intolprable if there
had been anything else, for, my fell
low citizens, this treaty is not meant
merely to end this single war; il is
meant. as a notice to every govern
ment who in the future will attempt
this thing, that mankind will unite
to inflict the same punishment.
There is no national triumph
sought to be recorded in this treaty.
There is no glory sought for any
particular nation. The thought of the
statesmen collected around that table
was of their people. of the sufferings
that they had gone through, of the
losses they had incurred. that great
throbbing heart which was so de-
pressed, so forlorn, so sad in every
memory that it had had of the five
tragical years, my fellow country
men,
u, s. Fought for Mankind
Let us never forget the purpose,
the high purpose, the disintPrestcd
purpose with which America lent its
strength. not for its own glory, but
for the advance of mankind.
And as I said. this treaty was not
intended merely TO end this war; il
was intended to prevent any similar
war.
wonder if some of the opponents
OF the league of nations have forgot
ten the promises we made our people
before we went to that peace table?
We had taken by processes of law
the flower of ongs youth from every
countryside, fron#yery household and
we told those m6thers and fathers
and sisters and wives and swcethearts
that we were taking those men to
fight a war which would end business
if we do not do the best that human
concert Of action can do to end it,
we are of all men the most unfaith-
ful--the most unfaithful to the loving
hearts who suffered in this war; the
most unfaithful to those households
bowed in grief. yet lifted with the
feeling that the lad laid down his life
for great thing. among other things
in order that other lads might not
have to do the same thing:
League to End War Justly
That is what the league of nations
is for, to end this war justly, and
II is not merely to serve notice on
governments which would C0utpm
plate the same things which Germany
contemplated. that they will do it at
their peril. but also concerning the
combination of pOAyer which will
prove to them that they will do it at
their peril
III is idle to say the world will
combine against you because it may
not. but it is persuasive to say the
world is combined against you and
will remain combined against any
I. who attempt the same things that you
attempted.
The league of nations is the only
thing that can prevent the recurrence
of this dreadful catastrophe and re-
deem our promises.
The character of the league is
: based upon the experience of this
very war.
| did not meet Il single public man
who did not admit these things, that
Germany would not bave gone into
this war if she had thought Great
Britain was going into It and that
she most certainly would never have
gone into this war if she bad dreamed
America was going into it, and they
have all admitted that a pOtiCe be ,
forehand that the greatest powers OF
ra-.the world would combine to prevent
this sort of thing would have pre-
vented it absolutely.
League Only Hope
When gentlemen tell you, there
fore. that the league Nf nations is
intPnded for some other purpose than
this, merely reply this to them, ''it
we do not do this thing we have no
elected the central covenant that We
made to our people, and there will
be no statesman of any country who
can thereafter promise his neOpe any
elevation from the perils of war.
The passions of this world are not
dead the rivalries of this world have
not cooled; they have been rendered
hotter than ever.
The harness that is to unite ma e
tions is more necessary now than il
ever was before and unless there il
this sureness of combined acrlOu m
fore wrong is attempted, wrong vii
be attempted just as soon as the most
ambitious nations can recover from
the financial stress of this war.
Would Redeem Weaker Nations
Now, look, what else is in th'
treaty. This treaty is unique in the
history of mankind because the center
Of IL is the redemption Of weak ma :
fiOns. There never was Il congress
of nations before that considered tn,
rights of those who could not en-,
4 force their rights.
There never was congress of ma e
ons before that did not seek to af
ct some. balance of power brought
oout by means of serving the strength
ssand interest of the strongest powers
~ concerned, whereas this treaty build,
Z up nations that never could have wor
their freedom in any other way.
II builds them up by gift by largess
not by obligation builds them up be
cause of the conviction of the mel
swhO wrote the treaty that the right
Of people transcend the rights of gov
ernments, because OF the conviction O
the men who wrote that treaty tina
the fertile source of war is wrong
that the AustrO Hungarian empire
Tor example, was held together b.
military force and consisted Of ppO
4 pies who did not want to live to
gether; who did not have the spiri
OF nationality towards each other
who constantly chaffed at the bond
that held them.
Hungary, though willing partne