Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-10-09
DISCUSS LEAGUE
MONDAY night

| The following is the address in part
by Father O'Reilly:
A large audience filled st. Joseph's
auditorium Monday evening, where,
after the opening discussion on the
League of Nations from an Ameri-
can standpoint by Father O'Reiily,
and a short but interesting talk by
T. E. Meade, Mr.. James McHugh,
| representing i the friends of Irish
freedom, presented Ireland's case
clearly and effectively. The pro-
| gram concluded with a most eloquent
address on the League in its relation
to Ireland by Attorney M. Kelly and
of the meeting were read, unanimously
adopted, and forwarded to the repre-
| sentatives at Washington. Over so
new members were added to the
| Friends of Irish Freedom.
Fellow citizens:
| We are here this evening to discuss
one of the most momentous questions
that has ever confronted the Ameri-
| can people, question which enters
the very vitals of our national exist
ence question in which the very
| sovereignty of our country is involv-
| ed, and which incidentally, also af-
! fects Ireland's interests, as we'll as
many other downtrodden little ma
| tionalitieS.
When the terrible war was ended
nv f1o cssrr IS h. ~
was our earnest prayer that some eff
fective means might be adopted to
put an end to future bloodshed and
insure to the world permenant peace.
Instinctiveiy, the world turned to
President Wilson, whose high sound
: ing phrases. of worldwide democracy
had endeared him to the hearts Of az.
licted humanity. 1t was in support
Of these exaulted ideals of world
democracy and freedom of the down
trodden, that our boys flocked to the
standard of Old Glory and freely shed
their blood on the battlefields of
France.
No wonder then, when the arm
istice was signed that the world
looked to President Wilson as the one
to formulate the plans for bringing
into practical operation the principles
for which Americas noblest sons
fought and died.
When President Wilson advocated
a league of nations and published his
famous fourteen points as the basis
of the peace settlement, he gave to
the world one of the most sublime
documents that ever came from the
hand of man. And when England and
the other allied nations subscribed to
those fourteen points as the basis
of peace, the world breathed a sigh Of
relief, and permanent peace seemed
to be assured
But alas, we were doomed to dis
appointment John Bull, the profess
ional thief and robber, met our in
nocent and unsuspecting president at
the door of the peace council, and
while patting him on the back as the
great humanitarian, and the champ
ion Of liberty and democracy, he
and stole his fourteen points and from
that day to this, nobody has ever
heard a word about them
Let us follow the activities Of the
big Four in the formation of the
peace treaty and see how it conforms
to the principles for which we en-
tered the war, how it conforms to
the IA points ennunciated by our
president and subscribed to by all the
allied nations. Then, let us see what
bearing It has on American sovereign
ity, and lastly, is this treaty in its
present form, as now presented to the
United States senate for ratification,
treaty which is calculated to bring
peace to the world.
! We entered the war to put an end
cracy in every form. We entered the
war to break down special privileges
in all governments and to see that
not only militarism but it's twin sister
navelism was broken beyond repair.
We declared that we were fighting for
the ITGGuOm OIL all the QOWuIfOQuon
people of the world, "the right of
people everywhere to choose the
form of government under which
they wished to live" America won
the war, Sir Douglas Haigs comments
to- the contrary Notwithstanding. and
America will not be satisfied until all
the peoples of the earth gather the
fruits of that victory.
Of what transpired in the council
Of four we know very little. We do
know, however, on the authority of
our president, that there were four
drafts drawn up, and that England's
! was accepted. Mr.. Wilson admits
that since it is the best we can get
that this English made document is
not what he desired, and tells us
we should adopt it. Secretary Lam
sing and Col. House strongly object
ed to this treaty, and according to the
testimony Of Mr.. Built, Mr.. Lansing