Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-06
TEXT OF PRESIDENT WILSON'S
TREATY SPEECH AT KANSAS CITY

charters OF mankind. And yet there
are men who approach the question
with passion, with private passion
and party passion who think only
OF some immediate advantage to
themselves or to q group OF their fell
low countrymen, and who look at the
thing with the jaundiced eyes Of those
who have some private purpose Of
their own.
When at last. In the annals Of man
kind they are gibbetted they will re-
gret that the gibbet Is so high.
would not have you think that
/ am trying to characterize those who
conscientiously object to anything in
this great document. I take off my
hat In the presence of any mans
genuine conscience. and there are men
who are conscientiously opposed TO Il,
though they will pardon me il say
ignorantly opposed. / have no quar-
rel with them.
1t has been a great pleasure to con-
fer with some Of them-and to tell
them as frankly as would have told
my most intimate friend, the whole
inside Of my mind and every other
mind that knew anything about that
had been concerned with the conduct
of affairs at Paris In order that they
might understand this thing and go
With the rest of us in the confrma
tion of what is necessary for the
peace of the world.
l have no intolerant spirit in the
matter: but l also assure you that
from the bottom of my feet to the top
of my head l have got a fighting
spirit about it.
Put Up or Shut Up"
And If anybody dares to defeat this
great experiment, then they must
gather together the counsellors of the
world and do something better.
If there is q better scheme. for
one will subscribe to it. but I want
to say now, MS l said the other night,
it is case Of put up or shut up. Ne
CATION will not save the world. OPP
position constructs nothing. Opposi-
tion Is the speciality of those who are
bolsllevictically inclined.
Again / assure you l am not COM
pairing any of my respected colleagues
to Bolshevists but l am merely point
ing out that the bolshevistic spirit
lacks every element of constructive
opposition. They have destroyed
everything and they have proposed
nothing.
And while there is a common alb
horrence for political bolshevism,
hope there will not be any such thing
grow UP in our country as interna-
tional bolshevism, the bolshevism that
destroys the constructive work of men
who have conscientiously striven to
cement the good feeling of the great
peoples of the world.
Is it not a great vision, my fellow
citizens, this of the thoughtful world
combined for peace. and this of all
the great peoples of the world asso-
ciated to see that justice is done.
that the strong who intend wrong are
restrained and that the weak who
cannot defend themselves are made
secure?
We have problem ahead of us
that ought to interest us in this con-
nection. We have promised the pco
pie of the Philippine Islands that we
will set them free. 1t has been one
of our perplexities how we should
make them safe after we set them
free. Under this arrangement they
will be safe from the outset. They
will become members of the league of
nations and every great nation in
the world will be obliged to respect
and preserve against external ag-
gression from any quarter the terri
torial integrity and political indie
pendence of the Philippines.
Simpllfies Vexed Problem
1t simplifies one of the most per-
picking problems that has faced the
American public.
But it does not simplify our prob
lens here, gentlemen. 1t illustrates
the triumph of the American spirit.
l do not want to attempt any flight
of fancy, but / can fancy those men
Of the First General that so thought
fully set this great government up,
the generation of Washington. Hamil-
ton, Jefferson and the Adamsps-I
can fancy their looking on with
sort of enraptured amazement that
the American spirit should have made
conquest of the world
If anything that I have said has
left the impression on your kind that
/ have the least doubt of the result.
please dismiss the impression. And
If you think / have come out on this
errand to fight anybody. please dis
miss that from your mind. I have
not come to fight or antagonize any
individual or body of individuals.
have, let me say, without the
slightest affection, the greatest. re-
spcct for the Senate of the United
States, but, my fellow citizens. I
have come out to fight for a cause.
That cause is greater than the Sen
ate; it is greater than the govern
ment. 1t is as great as the cause of
mankind and ! intend in Office or out
to fight that battle as long as l live.
My ancestors were troublesome
Scotchmen and among them were
some Of that famous group that were
known as the Covenanters. Very we'll,
fhara Ia fha cnyanant NJ fha loo oua ~