New-York tribune., 1919-09-18

League Kills
An1ericanisnn.
Says johnson
Would Substitute ssMisty In
ternationalism,'' Senator
Tells Large Crowd in His
Address in Lincoln, Neb.
Introduced by Democrat
Calls Covenant ssInfamous
Document Which Would
Destroy independence

LINCOLN, Neb., Sept. 17.-In ad-
dressing large and enthusiastic gath
ering here tonight, Senator Hiram w.
Johnson, Of California, denounced the
league Of nations covenant as an "infa-
nous" document and declared that its
adoption would result in throwing the
country into an international confeder-
alton and depriving the Republic of it's
future independence Of action. 1t would,
he said, substitute misty International
ism for Amercanism.
Lieutenant Colonel John G. Maher,
Democrat, president Of the Nebraska
branch of the American Legion, acted
as chairman of the meeting and intro
duced the speaker. Governor S. R.
! McKelvie occupied seat on the stage.
"The President has made, and asked
the Senate to approve, a league COW
enant that is to be higher than our Con-
stltution," said Senator Johnson. "Ex-
cept the sovereign people, no power on
earth can legally change our Consti-
tuition or make another to override it.
None but the people should be permit
ted to throw this independent Republic
into an international confederation
where it must necessarily lost its indie
pendence Of action. The people can
do that, but no public servant or SER
wants of those people should be per-
mitted to do it. 1t is admitted by the
President that we lost our indepen-
dence in the league. Misty Internal ton
alism has been substituted for Amer
icanism."
Shall America Police World?
After enumerating the various bur
dens which the peace pact imposes on
the United States, Senator Johnson
said:
"Thc great, fundamental question
which every American father and
mother should answer is, Shall Ameri-
can boys police the world: Shall
American blood uphold, maintain and
preserve Old World governments aud
the territorial integrity of the nations
which have immensely increased their
boundaries?
"At Omaha the President definitely
announced himself against amend
ments to the league of nations Or res
ervations of any sort. He says in
effect to the American people, You
mus: accept the foreign document
which l present to you without in
vestigating, analysis. amendment or
reservation
Upon what theory does he thus limit
the action Of what is supposed to be
the great democracy of the world i?
When did the President of the United
States possess the power to say to it's
people and its Congress, You must?
Yielded to Clemenceau
"When this league of nations was
discussed at Paris Great Britain would
not be a party unless Great Britain
was given six votes, and in this fash
ion Great Britain amended it, France
declined TO subscribe to the league un-
less France was given an offensive and
defensive alliance by the United
States, and although the President had
denounced up to the very moment that
he signed it any special alliance or any
separate agreement with any nation, he
yielded to Clemenceau and brought
back to US the special alliance against
which he had so often declared.
Thus France amended the league.
Japan declined to sign the league un-
less given Shantung, with it's 3S,00O,0O0
Chinese. The President whispered he
would never consent, and forthwith he
yielded and consummated the Shantung
infamy. Thus Japan amended the
league.
"How can any man of liberal views
agree to Article x? 1t makes the pres
ent generation decide the fate Of all
future generations. 1t assumes to put
the world in straitjacket But, be-
yond and above all this, the mainte
nance of this static condition can be
accomplished by the blood of just one
nation, and that is ours"