Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-10-03
WILSON'S WORDS >
CLEAR up DOUBT
CALIFORNIA THROWS OVER ITS
LEADER, JOHNSON, AND
RALLIES TO LEAGUE.
West GIVES HIM OVATION

All Doubtful Features Of Pact Are
Explained Away BY President, and
Former Doubters Hasten to Give
Him Their Support.
(By Independent News Bureau, form.
erly Mt. Clemens News Bureau.)
Aboard President Wilson's Special
Train-A continuous ovation along the
Pacific coast and then on his eastward
way back toward the capital was given
to President Wilson as he came
toward the end of his month daylong
speaking tour In behalf Of the League
of Nations. California. particularly
the delightful city of Los Angeles. went
wild in its enthusiasm for him and his
advocacy Of the League, and 1t was
in that state, perhaps. that he did his
most successful missionary work.
Hiram johnson. California's former
governor, now her United States sena-
tor, and considered by her as the most
likely Republican candidate for the
presidency in 1920. had before the ar.
rival Of President Wilson, convinced
. great number of citizens that the
League as at present formulated was
not q good thing. He had told them
that the United States. because Of It,
would be drawn into every petty
European quarrel; he argued that We
would lose our sovereignty by Joining
with the European nations. He had
blamed tho president for asserting to
the possession BY Japan Of the PENN.
sula Of Shan Tung in China.
But Mr.. Wilson, with clear logic and
with compelling eloquence, answered
to the entire satisfaction of Califor-
MAS people every objection which
Senator Johnson had made to the
League. And thousands Of the states
citizens deserted the johnson stand
ard Immediately and rallied to the sup
port of the president. More than that,
they came forward and said, I'VE
were against you, Mr.. President, but
you have cleared everything up and
now we are with you heart and soul"
Still more than that. they let Senator
johnson know that they were no
longer with him and that they disap'
proved of the speaking tour which he
himself was making in opposition to
the League and 50 powerful was the
volume of public opinion which reach
ed him, that the senator almost i'm
mediately abandoned his tour. The
Shan Tung question, because Of the
anti-Japanese feeling which undoubted'
" exists along the Pacific coast was
the most serious which the president
had to answer. He explained to the
people that he had been powerless to
prevent the rich peninsula from being
given to Japan. England and France
through a secret treaty. had promised
it to Japan for entering the war and
remaining in it. That treaty had t.
be carried out. Anyway 1t was moi
China that was losing Shan Tung, but
Germany, which had seized the terri
tory from China In 1898 and held II
ever since. Japan had promised. the
president explained, to return Shan
Tung as soon ~ the peace treaty WAS
ratified and It was only through the
ratification Of tho treaty with the
League of Nations inclusion. thai
China could ever expect to get hen
former property back. And she surely
would get it back. he declared. through
the ratification Of tho League. There
fore, through the same instrumentality
no other nation could again prey upon
the Great, patient, diligsnt. but help
less KINGDOM" A. to our being drawn
into any European conflict. Tho pres
ident pointed out that NO direct action
such a. the sending Of troops to any
part Of the world to maintain or re-
store order could be. taken by the
Council of the League without . unani'
nous vote of the council members,
therefore our vote could at once mega
tive any such proposition as sending
our soldiers where we did not want
them sent. Besides, Mr.. Wilson argued.
If you have to quench fire in Cali.
fornia you don't send for the fire de-
partment of Utah." But. he argued,
there probably never will be another
war. II, the League 10 established, for
the members promise either to arbt-
trate their difference and accept tho
decision of. the arbitrator. lay the dit.
ferences for discussion and publicar
ton before tho Council Of the League
for . period of six months, and then.
IL possible, accept the councils advice.
That falling. they agree to refrain from
war for q further period Of three
months and nine months Of cooling
off," the president contended. would
prevent any armed conflict. These clear
explanations satisfied every reasonable
hearer and destroyed the "Bugaboos"
which Senator johnson and others had
raised against the League. Through
rugged Nevada into Utah. the land OF
Mormons, the president swept to find