Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-10
HOLDS LEAGUE
A QUESTION OF
WAR OR PEACE
President Makes Only Address Of
Day at Bismarck After
Long Jump.

Bismarck, N. D., Sept 10.-Presf-
dent Wilson told a Bismarck audi
ence today that the issue involved
in his speechmaking tour for the
treaty was "a question of war or
peace"
There was only one way in which
the peace could be maintained, he
said, and that was by such a con-
cert of nations as was proposed in
the League of Nations.
Only Address Of Day.
Completing the first week of his
tour, the president spoke in the
Bismarck auditorium. 1t was the
smallest hall in which he had yet
spoken, seating about fifteen hun
dred. 1t was filled. No other ad-
dress was on Mr.. Wilson's schedule
for today. When the presidents
train arrived, a display of pyro-
technics was set off, carrying small
parachutes with American flags
high into the air. On the ride to
the hall through crowded streets
an airplane flying low turned flip
fops over the presidential party.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson were cheer
ed as they entered the auditorium.
He was introduced by Governor
Lynn ]. Frazier.
Despair viii Follow Refusal
Ch0x4II
concert fail, the president said, the
heart of mankind would be over
whelmed by a despair" which
would result in chaos.
Men in despair don't construct
governments" said he, they de-
stroy governments. If we stay out
or if we qualify our acceptance in
any way, then the world will say
There can be no peace"
If the world were in disorder,
asked the president, who would buy
the wheat of the United States?
Bismarck, n D., Sept 10.-All
the processes of international eco
nomic rehabilitation, he said, waited
on a complete peace basis, because
the world was waiting, he contin-
ueu. Iue GREAT COdl Helt-o VI C-u-
rope were not being worked to ca
pa"ity and the whole industry of
the world was chilled"
While we debate" be went on.
"all the world is raging today
Why does America hesitate:"
Will Be in League.
He declared there was no more
danger of America staying out nf
the league eventually than of re-
serving all the other D processes of
her history. But it was the iclas,
he added. that was npsa.tiIS af-
fairs everywhere.
Referring to propos 'ls to sep
arate the peace terms from the
league covenant, Mr. Wilson said
the cov'rant had been Du. first in
the treaty because without I the
rest OF the treaty woO!i be worth
less. TLat conclusion Was reach
ed unanimously at Paris, asserted
Mr. Wilson. because the peace con
ference realized that, having set
up a peace settlement there must
be some way to enforce it.
Replying to objections to article
10 of the covenant, Mr.. Wilson re-
iterated that the article had no
binding force without the assent Of
the United States, under the unan-
imous vote required for action.
Is Plainly Stated.
Unless it is our war" he con-
tinued, I'VE can't be dragged into a
war without our consent. That's an
open and shut proposition; it's the
heart of the treaty. You have either
got to take it or you have got to
throw the world back into that old
contest over land titles. There is no
other way to quiet the world, and
if the world isn't quieted, then
America sooner or later will be
drawn into the melee"
The president asked whether
anyone thought the United States
could stay out of the league without
being hated" and intrigued against
by the other nations. Should the
American nation refuse to accept
the treaty, he asserted, it would be
in the position of repudiating its
promises to those who fought the
war and of saying it did not like
what had been accomplished by its
armed forces. The peoples of Eu-
rope, said the president ARE in a
revolutionary state of mind" and in
danger Of substituting one kind OF
for another"
President Wilson was cheered
when he concluded his address. The
presidential party was escorted to