The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-06-26
THE TARBELL ADDRESS


1t was well that Professor George B
Hendricks, in introducing the famous
journalist, Miss Ida M. Tarbell, made il
plain that the people of Logan believed
in an "open forum" and whether we be-
lieved with Miss Tarbell or not we woulC
be glad to listen to her. That alone made
it evident that something was coming
that might not be accepted by the vast
audience with any degree of unanimity
And if that was the forecast intended by
Professor Hendricks it was a true one
for Miss Tarbell, while she may have
pleased many, we are frank to say we dc
not think she satisfied any.
Whatever the faults and failings of the
five hundred Americans comprising Am
erica's contribution to the Peace confer
ence, those distinguished citizens rang
ing from Colonel Ed House to Professor
Heron found a willing apologist in Miss
Tarbell
The burden of her message was the
Leagueof Nations, and while she did not
claim it to be divine document, yet she
was apparently willing that it take the
place of the Constitution Of the United
States which is divine document. At
least that was the inference drawn from
the fact that under the constitution the
congress is to declare war, while under
the league, with war not only possible
but highly probable, the keeping us out of
war and getting us into war is left with
the league.
Miss Tarbell rather surprised the au-
dience in emphasizing the statement that
the Smutz- Wilson plan for League of
Nations brought over by President Will
son was "only draft, not completed
document, just draft put out for criti-
cism" She did not attempt to explain
Mr.. Wilson's own words when he said of
it, Each article was passed only after
the most careful examination by each
member of the committee. There is good
and sufficient reason for the phraseology
and substance of each article" She told
the truth when she declared that Ameri-
ca asked for nothing at the peace table,
and then great many looked askance
when she declared that we did ask for
something that would prevent future
wars. This perhaps was due to the fact
that great many looked upon the league
with great degree of questionable
speculation. In other words a great
MANY fear that Mr.. Wilson's league will
not prevent future. wars any more than
Mr.. Wilson "Kept us out of war" Furth-
er when man urges acceptance Of
scheme which he declares to have been
so carefully thought out and So perfect
as to be unsusceptible of improvement,
and then eagerly assents to its being
turned inside out and radically remade,
things stricken out which he deemed in
dispensable and things inserted which he
considered inadmissible, and as zealously
as before urges its adoption in the new
form which completely stultifies the old,
he discredits himself save as a self-seek-
er equally ready to cry "Good Lord" or
Good Devil" so long as he can ger any
thing adopted as Of his own devising,
And when Miss Tarbell, great as she nc
doubt is. tells us that if the league is not
accepted America is doomed, we cannot
help but ask her which league, the one
that was so complete, and whose sub
stance and phraseology was so perfect,
or the one that is now being substituted
For the perfect draft?
And when she tells us this we conclude
hat her opinion is the opinion
# the five hundred or more of Americans
# more or less mediocre calibre at the
,eace table, and we then wonder what