Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-02-14
THE 18TH LEGISLATURE


(Contlnuoo Srom PSSe VsVeJ
spectacle, which has taken into its
hands u wider control. moro DIVERSE
He'd interests affecting the various
peoples of the world than any con.
ference Of men who have ever been
brought together, are dealing with
your affairs and my AFFAIRS. And
there never were affairs, there new
er were issues to be disposed OF in
a Legislature or i'll Congress or a
Parliament that were more vital,
that entered more intimately into the
conditions of life. Of every home In
the land, than the issues which are
to be settled in the conference In
Paris. One request I would make OF
you is to so regard 1t. so realize II,
to inform yourselves by such means
as may he available as to what Is
transpiring there, to fulfill that func-
ton upon which we. peculiar peo-
pic among all the peoples OF the
world, have prided ourselves, Of de-
tcrmining our own affairs. of being
a sclf-governing people. of partics-
rating in the settlement OF the
questions which affect our lives ana
them, and that there may be devel-
oped from this discussion and from
this interest a body Of public opin-
ion in the United States which at
some opportunc time may bring IT.
self to bear upon their final solution.
cannot discuss now. amidst the
busy days of this law-making body
nf tic great state Of Maine. the
broad issues which have been pre-
scented for determination at this con-
ference. You arc familiar with their
outlines ut least. Many of them have
bccn talked about q great deal. ana
written about Il great deal. but yer!
few Of them and l say it without
tho intention of offending any one at
.,l!--NcrH few Of them have been de-
fined We know what their names
arc but VIC do not know what they
mean. doubt very much whether
there i; anyone here. including my
self | may be mistaken. there may
nc someone here who can tell what
is meant by the great question which
is occupying the time of the Peace
Conference, the freedom OF the
seas" doubt very much whether
there is anyone here who can define
what is meant by the great question.
which is being determined there and
which may affect your business, may
affect the conditions of your State
us well as OF the world. of the re
moval of economic BARRIERS l
think I know what those words
mean, but when the gentlemen who
proposed that policy are approached
they say 1t means something else.
But they do not tell us what 1t
means.
We are asked to support certain poi
cies which We have in name only. l
would ask you as parties to the contract
TO inquire what its terms are going to
lie before you sign it, That is the prop
osition Applause) We are asked &c
merge the government of the United
states into government composed OF
all the other leading nations Of the
world under the designa tion-formerlr
il was called a league OF nations. now
il is called a society of nations to eI-
force peace. 1t is a good deal like tl3
freshman who said he was for pea,c
and he was willing to fight like he'll
for it. ! always thought of that when
heard Of a league in the name OF PEI
petual peac which proposed to enforce
peace. ! have never heard Of anybo1.
enforcing anything upon a great indie.
ncndent. sovereign people without wa"
Enforcing peace upon the United state:
il the United states should undertake
again in the defense of the lives and in
of oil % ;,,%a n
war, or for the preservation of tie
Union as we did under Abraham Lin
coin. or for the esta blishment again Of
independence as we did under Washins-
,on-any league of nations that under
took to dictate our course in such an
emergency and to enforce it upon us
could only do so by war. The very
term implies war. We are all in favor
of peace. we are all in favor Of per
petual peace: but while we are in favor
of these things we do not want to be
led away to add to the issues which
are going to confront us and to multi
ply the causes out of which war grows
merely because it is labeled perpetual
peace. We will not come any nearer
our perpetual peace and the avoidanc.
Of future wars by making ourselves re.
sponsible for the government of the
Dalmation Islands, or of Kamerun and
other German possessions in Africa o,
Mesopotamia in Asia. And neither will
We approach nearer to an era of avoid.
ancc of future war if We abandon tina,
cardinal principle of American polio
known as the Monroe Doctrine, under
which We undertake to maintain in the
Western Hemisphere the ideals and
traditions of free. representative re.
public. and take into our counsels for
tie joint disposition of these questions
the lands of the continent OF Europa
under what is called a system of man.
datories in which we would not take on,
decree from the sovereign voice of the
American people. but take it as the
mandate from 4 council composed OF
the foreign nations Of the world
Certainly We ought to discuss at lea st
such questions before we cast adrif.
from our moorings of old and venture
into an unknown and tenpestuous sea.
We ought as rapidly as we can no:
only to denobilize the army and reduce
= to peace basis but in my humbl.
"rin;on We ought also to demobilize tn,
ivil war structure of the government,
as RAPIDLY as possible. We ought to re.
zeal. in my Judgment. the Overman act
We might have needed q dictator. o:
icon willing to have a dictator in time
"f var. hut we do not need one in tim.
1T peace. The unity Of the American
Dccnlc IN confrontipD tho rnouoca n.