The sun., 1919-06-27
PEPPER ARRANGES
ANTI-LEAGUE FIGHT
Meeting Here Tomorrow First
Of q Countrywide Series
Of Protests.
spec.al De.pateA to Tn, SUE.

WASHINGTON. June ga great popu-
lar campaign is about to be staged by
the opponents to the League Of Nations,
according 70 announcement made IN
Washington to-day by George Wharton
Pepper. president OF the League for the
Preservation Of American Independence.
Mr.. Pepper proposes mat the issue shall
be carried to the entire country.
Senators and other public leaders. ma
uonal and local. will be put on the stump
to elucidate the question. and no effort
will be spared to acquaint the people
with the real significance of the issues in
volved. Mr.. Pepper visited Washington
simultaneously with the coming Of VIII
H. Hays, chairman of the Republican
National Committee. But the coinci-
denoe was merely coincidence and moth
ing more, he explained. Both talked with
a number Of Republican leaders in Con-
gress, but Mr.. Pepper was moro con-
cerned with the views of the last-ditch
antagonists of the league.
His discussion of the subject developed
that the Independence League pro-
gramme will be devoted to such modih-
cation of the covenant as will insure
terests."
Mr.. Piper outlined important steps
for which preliminaries are being or
ganiyed as fast as possible. The pur-
pose 10 to get as many public meetings
arranged and held as may be possible
before President Wilson begins his swing
around the circle in support Of the
league covenant. The big meetings that
Is planned for New York Saturday night
will be the type of these.
At that meeting Senators Borat
(Idaho). Reed (Missouri) and John.
son California; are expected to speak
When the President starts on his tour
meetings will be arranged so as to
cover the communities he visits and In
sure that he will be pointedly answered
Senator Borah, speaking on this par
| ticular point, said he was not con.
cerned to have the anti-league meetings
held in the same cities In which Presl'
dent Wilson speaks.
IF the President speaks In st. Louis,
| he said, 'I think II would perhaps b.
better to have him answered in Omaha
The real point is to get tho other side &c
all the people"
Mr.. Pepper. In considering. he said, a
plan to hold a sort of speakers nor
NAL school" in Washington. to prepare
local speakers for discussion of the
subject in their various localities 1t 1.
necessary to carry this fight to tn'
people. he said, in the fashion in which
the sound money issue was presented
to them IN 1895. and that is to be tn,
aim.
Persons willing to volunteer theii
| services in the great cause OF educat
| ing the public to an accurate under
standing of the issue win be asked
come to Washington and devote thu
necessary time to intensive prepare
tons for the work. then they will b.
sent out 10 address audiences every
! where.
1t Is utterly impossible for Senator
and other men Of national note to d.
all the work; 1t must be taken up b!
volunteers willing to give their effor
from patriotic motives Mr.. Pepper !
positive( from his correspondence ant
personal interviews with many persons
that a great corps Of speakers can b
enlisted
Senator Borah asserted to-day tina
he greatly doubted If President Wilso,
after all will make his tour OF the coun
try. He observed that Senator Hitch
cock (Neb.). the Administration spokes
man in league matters. denied on tn
Senate floor a day or two ago that any
body had authority to state that tn
| President would make such a tour
Others presumed to know Administra
ton plans have indicated the sam
doubts, and II is now the impression Il
anti-league circles that it yet must b
determined whether the President vii
undertake such campaign.
| Opponents of the league insisted TO
day that the fight was just beginnins
and that in the next fortnight 1t woul
take on some new and unexpected as
poets For the moment. there mus
be delay pending more knowledge of tn
plans which the Administration will fol
low But as soon as these are devel
| oped, the opposition will be ready to un
mask its batteries and go to the coun
try with its case.