South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-26
HITCHCOCK RAPS
FOE OPPONENTS
Makes Stirring Speech for
Ratification Before Press
Club of Baltimore.

Special n The News Times:
BALTIMORE Nd. sept 26-De-
ciaring that the world has never
been confronted by 50 stupendous
on issue as the peace treaty and
league OF nations Sen Hitchcock Of
Nebraska. who Is leading the light
for ratification in the senate made a
plea for the treaty without amend
ment or reservation before the Bal
timore press club Thursday night.
Il regret said Sen. Hitchcock
that the issue has become involved
in national politics in partisan
sense. 1t IS a question too large
and too vital 10 be made partisan
"The history OF the world is a
history OF wars and temporary peace
settlements. The question now IS
whether we can make this peace
settlement permanent. whether we
can reform international relations
and do away with wars, which have
cursed the earth in the past To
my mind the issue is plain. II is
peace with "A league Of nations or II
s. continuation of the old pro-
gram Of war WITHOUT a league.
Failure Means War.
If this present effort TO establish
the league OF nations fails the world
viii return to war conditions Every
nation will resume preparations for
war. No intelligent man will be
willing 10 have his nation remain
unprepared as long as war is to be
the program.
III is not a question Of having
this league or better one. 1t is "A
question OF having this league or
none. IL this league fails. brought
forth as IL has been by the terrible
exigenies Of war with all the ad-
vantage OF an international council
arranging the terms OF peace. never
i'm our day need we expect TO see a
serious effort made to create a lea
que OF nations. Discouragement and
dismay Will settle over the world.
LaNvlessness and disorder will hold
possession i'm vast areas OF the earth,
and an opportunity will he given TO
resume the dreams Of conquest that
have for the time being been shat
8 red.
Treaty \ Remedy.
There can be no possible doubt
that the world wants TO get rid of
war. The next thing To realize is
that this league OF nations now be-
fore the United States IS not only a
remedy for war but is is the only
remedy that IS proposed There is
10 other. It's critics suggest no other
way; they predict no other. 1t is
this OF nothing if we want TO prevent
war
Defined Plans.
"The attempt to defeat the tea que
If nations has developed along sew
eral well defined lines. first.
BY an appeal 20 a distorted and
false Americanism I'm this effort
the prctense is made that the league
does not protect the Monroe doc
trine. that IL impairs the sovereign
powers of congress. that il permits
the council OF the league To force us
into war, and that il drags domestic
questions like immigration and tariff
into the realm Of International de-
This is an unqualified misrepresent-
alton OF the league
Secondly. 10 asserts a bold false
hood that article ten Of the league
VIII involve us i'm European wars
end make ~ necessary 10 send our
Toys TO take part I'm them
The hrst part of this misrepre-
sentation consists i'm the assumption
that there viii be frequent wars.
whereas the pledges ind guarantees
which the members give to settle
disputes by lawful methods make
this assumption a reckless nis-state-
ment The league provisions will
make wars growing ont OF disputes
highly improba BILE Article ten deals
with wars Of conquest in which one
nation might attempt 10 destroy the
independence or seize the territory