Der Nordstern. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1874-1931, 1919-07-31

On February &c. 1917, Mr.. Wilson declared to Congress
that he was snot contemplating war. But me o pic P,s 4
ness prior to that time, had been called into his councll III
were discussing the draft law and the exemption OF tnear
employees from it's operation, two months before It's en-
actment. .ha,r
legitimate and peaceful pursuits on the high seas" a basis
for severing diplomatic relations with Germany. He then
stirred the country ryo to a war war fegvo nne win an fne safe". about alt
,"the free paths of the sea-, about the freedom Oh :
s sfran ee'as t tae sine for qn The e0n limiting nj Rss'e Of 1 naval dea armaments.s
And then at the peace table Mr. Wilson Dm+s snrfe nd as7adi the
control !, Of the seas t TO- Great real l Britain i , w traotT > that leaves leaves
England, with her powerful navy. the Bully OF the seas,
s and gnd LEI writes t the 1 best 1 05 nl0 Se G dee1aTed II that at britain britain
will rule the wave, through the war and AFTER the war:
after nn the sf European ane1 War began @ea became known to the world
early in 1917. They were the subject of general denuncla-
visited this country that the abominable instruments would
be regulated. They we're published in full In this country
in November of that year.
Mr.. Wilson was day by day proclaiming the prlnclples
upon which we, with the Allies, were fighting the war
and those principles were hostile to everything IN those
The country assumed, and had the right to assume,
that the Pre- President nsarsnd had q S Ssanite rr sgfss@ would dn never ers be
heard of when the war was won and a just and nonoraoie
These treaties violated every principle set forth by the
President in his MESSAGES and an addresses add 9Tsf4ad announcing s4s}en ang the
Allies were prosecuting the war.
When Woodrow Wilson said:
"The war shall not end in yindict1e acton tn +G Sd any foym h,n':
no annexations, no contributions, no punitive indemn1nes."
# was his guarantee to the American people that tnere
were no Secret Treaties standing in the way.
Again he said: -
Eve shall be free to base upon generosity and Jusuce 70
the exclusion Of all selfish claims to advantage on the part
of the victOrs.' ..o+ .;o,
And then President Wilson Joined in a treaty that hSt+ v, an
ates the principles of that declaration, a treaty that en-
forces the spoils agreements of those revoIlng 1ecle'
Contacts, a treaty that denies the principle OF sel1-ue'es.
mination and bellies everyone of his important specln'
pledges. ..
The people are beginning to see with clearer VISION.
TIL. 5oroo~l oofc incfQod nj figure or SOG6Cu, luSy ak
weary of hoodwinking rhetorical palaVer Il 1on"
prevarication. nhou
They believed in Mr.. Wilson, protessed laeals. l1ey
are shocked to witness the readiness with which ne traoeu
off his principles-fourteen points and all,-1or the Leasuue
Compact to enforce by the sword the terms OF d treaty
| which surrenders every moral issue and sets up a supreme
imperialistic and financial dictatorship over the woiiu it,
The League Compact surrenders the control OF TINS
government to an armed autocracy and betrays American
Independence to the great European Powers; ana appailns s
to contemplate, it puts liberty in chains; II rlvets Cne
shackles of bondage on subject nations forever; 1t IS the
death knel of hope for ireland, India, and Egypt.
The treaty is a crime against China and a repuo1atlon
Of the promises made to the German people, who were
forced to accept it, or suffer the penalty OF annlhllatlon
by slow starvation, with the added horror OF a raVaglns
military invasion. - 80 +ho
It violates the pledged word of the President OF the
limited States, the Commander in Chief OF our American
ARMY and besmears the fair name of this nation.
The honor and constancy of this nation, the perpetu1ty
ali we have and hope ultimately to achieve, hang In the
balance. u:. -, =.
In this fateful hour, mo eminence of position can De
permitted to shield any public servant from the plaln
speaking necessary to bare the truth.
ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE