The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-10-03

der the only hope that Europe Will not
break into further wars of races, classes
and combinations that will take civiliza-
ton back to the middle ages.
81 am confident that if we attempt to
revise the treaty we shall tread road
through European chaos If we manage
to keep our soldiers out of it we will not |
escape fearful economic losses.
|. The allies may, themselves, revise this
treaty without us and then assemble a |
council of nations of their own in an EN-
deavor to, solve the problems of Europe.
1t would be council of Europe and in
the midst of these terrible times, consider
ing the debts they owe us, the material
they must have from us or starve, | would
rather that we be represented therein lest
lit become league of Europe against the
western hemisphere. A peace without us
means more army and navy for us, the
old treadmill of taxes and dangers for us
Mr. Hoover said that few people seem
| to realize the desperation to which Europe
| has been reduced During the coming
winter some of them will look with long
i ing eyes to this rich, fat nation, with its
| surplus of every human necessity he
said "We cannot fiddle while Rome
| burns. If we believe we can see our
neighbors return to another 80 years war
through the breakdown of this treaty,
| and we still maintain our progress, it is
| the egotism of insanity. Our expansion
overseas has entangled us for good or i'll,
| and | stand for an honest attempt to Join
| with Europes better spirits to prevent
these entanglements from involving us in
war. We are not dealing with perfection
we are dealing with the lesser of evils
| For us to refuse to enter into Joint
| attempt with the WELT thinking sections
of large part of the world to establish
a continuing moral conscience against
war is the utmost folly in our own inter
ests"
Pointing out the likelihood that some
European nations will again be plunged
into war with their neighbors, Mr. Hoover
referred to a probability of the invasion
of Poland if the treaty failed.
He said: There are many elements in
Europe who wish to see the treaty breal,
down and the league of nations disappear.
During the last FIVE months our allies
have been growing weaker from military
point OF view due to the necessity of de
modelling their armies, while at the same
time the reactionary group in Germany
has been growing in strength through the
hope of yet. securing a division of the al
lies. At theFtime | left Europe a month
ago. German militarism had already re-es
tahlished itself as welldisciplined. well,
differed army of at least 100000 men
largely congregated on the Polish frontier
and even defying the government at Der,
lin. Under the alarm of this danger the
Poles in the midst of the greatest eco
| / = ln@
have been trying to create an army OF
100000 men for their protection from the
Germans on the one side and the Bolshe
wiki on the other. If the treaty is ratified
the German army will be reduced to 900
600 men and dispersed over Germany and
their extra armament destroyed The fail
IRE of the treaty means the invasion Of
the Polish state
This is only, one of the, powder maya
zines IN Europe which cannot he des
troyed until this treaty is ratified, and
during every day of delay more explosives
are poured into them"
1t is often overlooked that this was
not a conference to settle the wrongs com
mitted by allies or neutrals but the enem,
only, said Mr., Hoover 1T was Ger
manys wrongs that were on the operat
ing table. 1t would have been beautiful
to have all the international wrongs OF
the table but this is not a perfect world
If this had been attempted the confer
! ence would have broken up into ouarrel
among the allies and Germany would hay.
been handed again the domination of Eu
rope The old guard in Germany hope,
and expected this would result. ND to dat,
they have been disappointed
mo one could be more dsappointee
than the American delegation that som,
great wrongs that were the result of tn,
secret treaties that had been written il
times of great desperation among the orig
inal allies were not eradicated.
Greater things were accomplished h,
this conference than by any other in his
tory. The military obligarchies of Ger
many, Austria and Turkey were dissolved
and if peace is ratified in time they will
be disarmed and thus a paramount men
ace to us and the world will be des
troyed"
Asserting that the peace conference on
deavored to remove as many of the imme
date causes of war as possible. Mr.. Hoov
er said that in the league of nations Their,
could be hope that the wrongs amope
other peoples could be brought up for dis
cussion and negotiation. Pointing out that
military force of the league could be used
to defend country against invasion. Mr.
Hoover said that for this unanimous con
sent is required and he added, "the cor,
sent must mean the United States con
gress on our side
Referring to the probable effect upou
an aggressor of enlightenment and the
use of the boycott, Mr.. Hoover said; s'Tbe
hope which |. as an independent observer
have placed i'll the league is that il will
forever relieve the United States of the
necessity to again send single soldier
outside of our boundaries
I'VE hear the cry that the league obi.
gates that our sons be sent to fight IN
foreign lands Yet the very intent and
structure of the league is to prevent war.
There is no obligation fors the United
States to engage in military operations
or to allow any interference with orr in.
ternal affairs without the full consent of
our representatives in the leaoue Tf
fIFraA