Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-02-15
TEXT OF WILSON'S
SPEECH BEFORE
PEACE CONFERENCE

.,aasl' Gu l4.-ffesldent Wilson's
speech at the peace conference at the
reading of the draft of the league
OF nations follows: 8 W.
Mr. Chalrman; | have the honor and
assume 1t very great privilege of
reporting in the name of the com.
mission constituted by this confer.
ence on the formulation of plan for
ohe league OF nations. l am happy to
say That it is a unanimous report. a
UNANIMOUS report Of representatives
OF OF the fourteen nations, the United
states, Great Britain, France. ltalv
Japan, Belgium, Brazil, China
Czecho :Slovakia, Greece, Poland. Por'
tugal, Rumana and Serbia "
think It will be serviceable and
interesting if with your permission
read the document as the only report
we have to make
President Wilson then read the
graft. When he read article Is, and
/ mad read through the second para
graph the president paused and said
Explains Sentence.
pause to point out that a mis-
conception might arise in connection
with one Of the sentences l have lust
read-'if any party shall refuse TO
comply, the council shall propose
measure necessary to give effect to
the recomme. ,iations.'
"A case in point, purely hypothe
tlcal case, it this; suppose there is in
the possession af particular power 2
piece Of territory of some other snb-
sstantlal thing in dispute to which It
IS claimed that it is not entitled. Sup
pose that the matter is submitted 20
the executive council for Recommended
lions as to the settlement of the dis
pute, diplomacy having failed and sup
pose that the decision is in favor of
the party which claims the subject
matter of dispute as against the par
ty which has the subject matter in
dispute. =
Then if the party in possession of
the subject matter in dispute merely
sits still and loes nothing, it has
accepted the decision ofthe council
in the sense that it makes no resis-
lance; but something might be done
to see that it surrenders the subject
matter in dispute
Left to Council.
Al ouel a Ease, IileIl OIlly consider
what steps will be necessary to oblige
the party against whom judgement
has been given to comply with the
decision of the council"
After having read article 10, presi-
dent Wilson also stopped and said
LET me say that before being en-
bodied in this document this was the
subject matter of very careful dis
cussion by representatives of the five
greater parties and that their unani-
nous conclusion is the matter embod-
led in this article"
After having read the entire do
cument, president Wilson continued
as follows: T.
ut gives me pleasure to add to
this formal reading of the result of
our labor that the character of the
discussion that although there were
subjects upon which there We're in
dividual differences of judgement with
regard to the method by which our
objects had been OBTAINED, there was
practically at no point any serious
differences of opinion or motive as to
the objects which we were seeking.
= UO0EIOnc VI NcSpeCl.
Indeed while these debates were
not made, the opportunity for the ex-
preston of enthusiasm and senti-
ments, / think the other members of
the commission will agree with me
that there was an undertone of high
respect and of enthusiasm for the
things we were trying to do, which
was heartenng, throughout every
meeting.
Because we felt that in way this
conference did entrust unto US the
expression of one of it's highest and
most important purposes to see to it
that the concord Of the world in the
future with regard to the objects of
Justice should not be subject to doubt
or uncertainty; that the cooperation
of the great body of nations should be
assured in the maintenance of peace
upon terms of honor and of interna-
otinal obligations.
"The compulsion of that task was
constantly upon us and at no point
was there shown the slightest desire
to do anything but suggest the best
means to accomplish that great OBJ
ject. There is very great signfc-
ance therefore in the fact that the re-
suit, was reached unanimously. ~
Is Fourteen Represented. .
Fourteen nations was represented
among them alliof those powers which
for convenience we have called the
great powers, and emong the rest a
representation of the greatest va
riety of circumstances and interests.
So that l think we are justified in say
ing that the significance of the re:
suit therefore, has the deepest OF all
meanings, the union of wills in
common purpose, a union of wills
which cannot be resisted, and when
! dare say, no nation will run the risk
Of attempting to resist.
"Now as to the character of the
document. While it has consumed
some time to read this document, i
think YOU will see at once that it is
,,o,,, s;ronlo and in nothing so simple