The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-25

of she does not justify that hope the re-
suits are unthinkable. Men will be
thrown back upon the bitterness Of dis
appointment not only, but the bitterness
of despair. All nations viii be set up as
hostile camps again; the men at the
peace conference will 20 home with their
heads upon their breasts, knowing that
they have failed-for they were hidden
| not to come home from there until they
| did something more than sign a treaty of
peace. (Applause.l
| Suppose we sign the treaty Of peace
and that it is the most satisfactory
| treaty of peace that the confusing ele-
ments of the modern world viii afford,
and 90 home and think about our labors,
we will know that we have left written
upon the historic table at Versailles. upon
which Nergennes and Benjamin Franklin
wrote their names. nothing but modern
scrap of paper; no nations united to de-
/ fend it, no great forces combined to make
| it good, no assurance given to the down
trodden and fearful people of the world
that they shall be safe. ANY man who
| thinks that America will take part in
giving the world any such-rebuff and dis
/ dppolilBltHb dS AItfet dOCS uot hllON
America. Great applause.)
| invite him to test the sentiments of
the nation applause. We set this ma
| tion up to make men free and we did not
confine our conception and purpose to
America, and now we will make men
free. (Applause) If we did not do that
all the fame of America would be gone
and all her power would be dissipated
| She would then have to keep her power
| for those narrow, selfish. provincial pur-
poses which seem so dear to some minds
that have no sweep beyond the nearest
horizon. applause / should welcome
no sweeter challenge than that. Zap
plause.) | have fighting blood in me and
it is sometimes a delight to let it have
| scope. but if it is challenge on this oc-
casion it will be an indulgence. Think OF
the picture, think of the utter blackness
that would fall on the world
Il The arrangements of the present peace
cannot stand generation unless they are
guaranteed by the united forces of the
civilized world. (Applause.l And if we
do not guarantee them, cannot YOU see
the picture? Your hearts have instruct
ed YOU where the burden of this war fell
It did not fall upon the national treas
uries, it did not fall upon the instru-
ments of administration, it did not fall
upon the resources of the nations. 1t fell
upon the voiceless homes everywhere
where women were toiling in hope that
their men would come back.
When | think of the homes upon which
dull despair would settle If this great
hope is disappointed. | slesIld wish fol
my part never to have had America PLAY
any part whatever in this attempt t.
emaneipate the world. But | talk - i
there were any question. | have no more
doubt of the verdict of America in thi
matter than / have doubt of the hloot
that is in me. Great applause an,
And so, my fellow citizens, I have corn
back to report progress, and do not be
lieve that the progress is going to stoI
short of the goal. The nations of tn
world have set their heads now to do
great thing, and they are not going t
slacken their purpose. Applause.
And when | speak of the nations of tn
world | do not speak of the government
OF the world. (Applause.l | speak 0
the peoples who constitute the nations Q
the world. (Applause.l They are in tn
saddle and they are going to see to
that il their present governments do nc
do their viii, some other government
shall tgreat applausel, and the secret
out and the present governments knol
it, (Laughter.l
There is great deal of harmony to !
got out of common knowledge. tLaugl
ter and applause, There is a great des
of sympathy TO be got out of living
the same atmosphere, and except for Il
differences of languages, which puzzle
my American ear very sadly daughter
could have believed | was at home
France or in Ita.y or in England-whe
I | was on the streets-when | was in I'll
presence of the crowds when | was
great-halls where men were gathered t,
gether. irrespective of class.
| did not feel quite as much at hon
there as | do here (appiausel, but | fe
that now. at any rate, after this stor1
OF the war had cleared the air, men we
seeing eye to eye everywhere. and tn,
these were the kind of folks who wou
understand what the kind of folks
home would understand. that they we
thinking the same things.
| have come back for strenuous n
tempt to transact business for a lit
while in America (applauseA, but | ha'
really come back to say TO You, in q
Soberness and honesty. that | have bee
trying my best to speak yosrr thought
Great applause.l
When | sample myself. ] think | fiji
that | am typical American applause
and if | sample deep enough and get dow
to what probably is the true stuff Of Il
man, then | have hope that It is part
the stuff that is like the other fellow
home. tApplause.l
And, therefore, probing deep in II
heart and trying to see the things tn
are right without regard to the thin
that may be debated as expedient | fe
that | am interpreting the purpose al
the thought of America applause; al
in loving America | find have Joined &
oreaf ma ioritu of my fnllnnn. M.