Evening star., 1919-09-17
SIOUX FALLS CROWD
g: GREETS JOHNSON
s1sz. se..sS SSssAsS~ss
Senator Replies to President
From Same Platform
Executive Used.
CONTENT LIVE AS NOW
By the Associated Press.


Senator Johnson all chairs were re-
moved from the main floor of the big
hall and the audience stood on its feet
during the address. President Wilson
spoke from the same platform eight
days ago.
Senator Johnson charged that Presi-
Gent Wilson seeks to establish sub
stantially a new government for the
United States by the provision of the
league of nations covenant.
Senator Johnson's appeal for the
radical amendment Of the peace pact
was enthusiastically received by the
crowd. Upon his arrival here he was
met at the train by band and COM
mittee of citizens and later rode in an
automobile parade.
Among some on the stage were:
Mayor George E. Burnside, w. c.
Cook, republican national committee
man from South Dakota, and former
Senator Robert ]. Gamble.
Content to Live as Now.
"Mr. Wilson intends, with his league
for the United States of America"
Senator johnson said. 1T is exactly
what we do not wish to have done.
We do not require a new government
at this time. We are content to live
under the Constitution and the Declara-
tion of Independence.
I'VE insist that the government of
Washington and of Lincoln and of
Roosevelt, the republic which we have
cherished and which has grown great
under the doctrine of Americanism.
shall not be superseded by an over
lordship of eight foreign nations or by
super-government in which our
voice will be but one of nine. In this
ominous sentence Mr.. Wilson has told
his purpose and the purpose of the
league of nations. He has outgrown
the government that has been ours
for 14S years. We have not. He has
made Fundamental choice of a gov
ernment' with his league.
care Still Americans"
I'VE are still Americans.
"Mr. Wilson. in starting his tour,
said he was making report to the
country. The American people have
waited in vain for any report of Mr..
Wilson's proceedings at Paris. In
stead of facts they have had plati-
tudes and glittering generalities.
They have been given no explanation
for the surrender of the principles SO
often eloquently announced by Mr..
Wilson, no reason for the abandon
ment of Americanism and the easy
triumph of European and Asiatic di-
plomacy.
I'm this city of Sioux Falls. Mr.. Will |
son indulged in one or two signifi-
cant remarks, pregnant with warning
to our people Your choice he said,
lis between the league of nations and
Gyorrn2 ni1Dn a lon hryi
veiled threat to convey that his op-
ponents were tainted with pro-Ger-
mAnism. It's q bad and lost cause
which in its extremity resorts to cpl
thets and vituperation. -
Choice as Senators See It.
"And the choice is not between the
league of nations and Germanism.
The choice is between the league and
Americanism. The choice is between
Mr.. Wilson's internationalism and
Americanism.
'.Mr. Wilson asserted to you that
the treaty Of peace laid down forever
the principle that no territory ever
should be governed except as the peo-
erned. The millions of subject peo-
Pies of the earth make the issue with
Mr.. Wilson and his own words to
DR.. Williams, the American expert,
that the treaty of peace was founded
upon the secret treaties. some of
which he said were unconscionable,
make his statement grotesque."
Comment on Ratifying.
insistence that the treaty should be
ratified Immediately, Senator John
son said:
The only country that has SO far
ratified the treaty is England. France,
xnen.1ously interested in it; Japan,
vastly interested. have not yet acted.
All four OF these nations get enor-
NOUS gains. The only country which
takee burdens alone is our country.
Since three OF these nations have
not ratified the treaty. why should
we be in haste to act?
In his White House conference
With the foreign relations committee
with Austria and Turkey contained
provisions as important, and perhaps
more so. than the German treaty.
The senators asked for informa-
ton on these treaties. and the Presi-
r4ent hatly refused to give the Sem
nte or the American people any in
6ormation on them They contain
ormmitments as burdensome as the
German treaty. We ought to know
all the commitments he has secretly
put on US before we act on any.
Sees Propaganda.
you see today a propaganda abroad
IN the land saying to us You must
hurry: you must Immediately adopt
this document. The United States
Senate is taking too long. You must
not wait another minute; you are 60
ing to have your business affected;
you are going to have the high cost
of living run even higher; you are
going to lose profits that might be
yours unless the United States Senate
acts at once
1T is the old, old story; it is the old,
old way of endeavoring to bully and
bludgeon into action and to get this
thing passed before the American
people know what it means
why not tell the American people?
That's what want to know.
AFTER all. my friends. this govern
ment doesn't belong to one man even
~ he is the President. 1t belongs to
you and it belongs to me; it belongs
to your sons and my sons. And il we
20 to fight I rebel and I revolt that
in this nation today the destinies of
1o0.000,000 people should be in one
mans hands, who secretly, after
promising us again and again that
secrecy should never obtain, secretly
IL disposing Of your blood and mine.
Il demand that your own and mine
shall live. not under a dictator, or a
man who takes to himself the dis
posal of our blood in secrecy, but
under Q constitution and under laws
that we ourselves shall make"
BERGER AND COUNSEL W0RDY
RI>s- Ruk>--k:>.. -