Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-05
WILSON PLEA
GRIPS HEART
OF AUDIENCE

Continued from Page One.1
pretation Of the men who made the
treaty and knew what was intend
ed. 1t is the familiar appeal-ask-
ing the people to have faith. In
deed, that idea in his speech seem
ed to get more applause than any
other. For through Mr.. Wilson's
speech ran a sentimental nOte-a
constant exaltatiOn of American
ideals and principles and Of the
promise made to the lads who died
the promise to make this war
against war. The president has
put on his campaign clothes. He
is trying to get close to the peO-
pie on this trip and to translate
the technical language of the
treaty into understandable Amer
lcanisms.
Put it Up in American Style.
He gets thundeTous applause
as he reverts to the declar-
alton of independence and the
rights of the people to govern
themselves and then transfers his
audience to Bohemia and to Po-
land and excIaims that the treaty
is "shot through with American
principles of eIf-government." IN
stead. too, of talking about pleb-
iscites. Mr.. Wilson wisely speaks
of the referendum" by which the
people of Upper Silesia are to be
given an opportunity in American
style to say whether they wish to
belong to Germany or to Poland
In simple Language he showed in
one speech why strategic from
tiers" had been rejected as a prin-
ciple in disposing of territories
wrested from Germany and why IN
der a league of nations italy
would not need Fiume. But he
promptly added that if there were
no league not only would Italy
need strategic frontier, but that
the military point of view would
prevail everywhere Undoubtedly
Mr.. Wilson will make more of this
point as he goes farther west into
country which doesn't believe in
large armies or navies and which
is always ready to embrace some
new system that really means
peace and not mere truce.
Duty to Explain, n OF Debate.
The president strolled into the
club car and chatted with the cor
respondents between stations. He
seemed eager to answer questions
and talk about the treaty. He made
it clear that he does not propose
to enter into a debate with the
senate at long distance. That
would be futile, he thinks, because
1t would divert attention from the
main issue-what the treaty con-
tains, which is so valuable to the
American people that they cannot
afford to reject it. The president
believes his mission is simply to
explain the treaty and to discuss
only incidentally the objections
which have been raised against it.
He wouldn't admit that he had
Senator Knox in mind as he de-
clared the terms imposed upon
Germany were to be sure severe
but not unjust Senator Knox ar
gued the very opposite last week.
Nor would Mr. Wilson say later
that he was thinking of Ireland as
he referred feelingly in his Colum-
bus speech to other wrongs in Eu-
rope which needed to be righted
and would be righted but could
not be dealt with at Paris because
the conference had jurisdiction
only over territories wrested from
the enemy. The inference was
plain that under a league of ma
lions there would be jurisdiction
over the Irish question if it threat
@ned the peace of the world
Answers Critics.
Another criticism which Mr.. Will
son did answer in his speech was
8hat which claims America will be
obliged continuously to send troops
TO fight in foreign countries A