Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-07-23
PRESIDENT MAKES
PLEA FOR TREATY
BEFORE SENATE
Makes Assertion That League of
Free Nations Has Become
practical Necessity"
MEANS RELIEF FROM WAR
Chief Executive Refers to II as an
indispensable Instrumentality for
the Maintenance of the New
Order Set Up In World"

Washington, July 10.-The senate
was called into session at II o'clock
and prayer offered by the chaplain,
Rev. Forrest ]. Prettyman, who asked
divine guidance for the senate and the
chief executive In the work 1t was
about to undertake.
President Wilson spoke from a small
rOstrum erected by the desk Of the
reading clerk Of the senate.
His address was as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate:
The treaty Of peace with Germany
was signed at Versailles on the 2Sth
% June avail myself of the earliest
opportunity to lay the treaty before
you for ratification and to inform you
with regard to the work of the confer
ence by which that treaty was formu-
lated.
The treaty constitutes nothing less
than world settlement. 1t would not
be possible for me even to summarize
or TO construe its manifold provisions
in an address v hlch must of necessity
be something lees than a treatise. by
services and all the information pos
sess win be at your disposal and at
the disposal Of your committee on
foreign relations at any time. either
informally or In session, as you may
prefer; and hope that you will not
hesitate 20 make use of them.
! shall at this time, prior TO your
own study Of the document. attempt
only a general Characterization of its
scope and purpose.
Problems Of Conference.
In one sense, no doubt, there is no
need that should report to you what
was attempted and done at Paris. You
have been daily cognizant OF what was
going on thereof the problems with
which the peace conference had to deal
and of the difficulty of laying down
straight lines of settlement anywhere
on field on which the old lines of in
ternational relationship and the new
alike. followed so intricate a pattern
and were for the most part cut SO deep
by historical circumstances which
dominated action where it would have
been best TO ignore or reverse them.
The cross currents OF politics and of
interest must have been evident TO
you. II would be presumlng in me to
attempt to explain the questions which
arose or the many diverse elements
that entered into them. shall attempt
something less ambitious than that
and more clearly suggested by my duty
20 report 10 the congress the part II
seemed necessary for my colleagues
and me to play as the representatives
of the government OF the United
States.
That part was dictated by the role
America has played In the war and by
the expectations that had been created
In the minds Of the peoples with whom
we had associated ourselves In that
great struggle.
Saw Supremacy of Right Perlled.
The United States entered the war
upon different footing from every
other nation except our associates on
this side the sea. We entered il. not
because our material Interests were
directly threatened or because any spe-
cia'" treaty obligations to which we
were parties had been violated. but
only because we saw the supremacy
and even the validity. of right every
where put in jeopardy and free gov,
eminent likely to be everywhere i'm
peried by the intolerable aggression
OF power which respected neither
right nor obligation and whose very
system of government flouted tn,
rights of the citizens as against tn,
autocratic authority of his governors
And In the settlements Of the peac,
we have sought no special PREPARATION
for ourselves, Aut only the restoration
Of right and the assurance of libert,
everywhere that the effects of the set
dement, were TO be felt. We entere,
the war as the disinterested champion
If right and we interested ourselve
in the terms of the peace in no othe
capacity.
United States Timely Aid.
The hopes of the nations alliet
against the central powers were at
very low ebb when our soldiers hegai
10 pour across the sea. There was ey
erywhere amongst them, except il
their stoutest spirits. somher fore
boding of disaster, The war ended il
November eight months ago. but yo
have only 10 recall what was feare
in midsummer last, only four shor
months before the armiStice to real
ize what il was that our timely al
accomplished alike for their moral
and their physical safety.
The first, ever-to-be-forgotten az
ton az Chateau Thlerry had alread
taken place. Our redoubtable soldier
and marines had already closed tn
gap the enemy had succeeded In oper
ing for their advance upon Paris-ha
already turned the tide of battle bac
toward the frontiers of France an