New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Johnson Calls
Treaty Fraud
On a Friend
: Endorsement of Shantung
Provision Is Denounced
at Minneapolis as "Part-
nership With Burglary
Credit to Lloyd George
Wish Expressed That u. S.
Had Had an Equally Able
Representative at Paris

MINNEAPOLIS. Sept 2o.-Senator
Hiram W. Johnson, speaking here to-
night in opposition to the league of
nations, denounced the provisions of
the peace treaty which forced the
united States TO safeguard the other
nations in what he called "their spoils
of the war" He called the treaty. \
fraud upon friend" in its effects on
China, and declared his belief that a
majority of the United States Senate
would support reservations Senator
johnson said In part:
feel keenly that our nation stands
toe day al the cross roads of its destiny.
The document that has been pre-
sented to US, and which we are asked
TO make part of our great nation.
comes to us at a time most peculiar
II our history. We have singular.
psychological reflex from the world
war, working on the lives of the people
with distorted intellects and nations
are unable TO see with the same clarity
OF vision as at other periods assume
that each OF you would go to almost
any extremity in order to preclude the
possibility of another cataclysm such
as we have seen in the last four wears.
You recall that before we knew
anything about the covenant of the
league of nations gentlemen were 20
ing about from city to city. from state
10 state, preaching of its virtues and
telling OF the marvellous things that
we're gong TO happen as a result Of
the great, unknown document. And
most of us, indeed, welcomed ANYTHING.
that might render less likely wars in
the future. but We have watched the
proceedings abroad with growing
dlsillusionment. We saw one bv one
the great principles to which we had
given unqualitled Endorsement and an
proval abandoned and surrendered
There are some places that are paved
with good intentions. Paris is no,
one of them.
Waving of VoIition Opposed
"Whenever humanity calls, when
ever mankind is in distress. or the
anguished cries of civilization are
heard. | would have our country in
the future do Just what it has done in
the past. because it viii answer to
that cry and do its full duty by peo-
pies and humanity. But what | say to
you is that we at Washington are
lighting for this: When the time and
the call comes for acting we. as Amer.
cans, shall determine that time and
mode of acting. without the British
Empire or any other nation deciding
for US.
That is the issue Not that we want
to live isolated from all the rest of the
world, but when you put US at the con-
terence at Geneva in secrecy with eight
foreign nation, IN reality it's only five
because it's the big five that are 90
ing to rule the world in the future
YOU put us there with one minority
vote under the control and power Of
the other four great nations of the
earth and you make them determine
the character of our action and the
time Of our action.
"Isolation" Not Involved
Our splendid isolation of the past.
TO which our friends on the other side
so feelingly refer. is a matter quite
apart from the discussion. They say
we have entered upon our world ca
reer; we cant turn back Not so at all
We have never been isolated from the
rest OF the world. financially. socially,
commercially, politically, or any other
way. The only isolation which has
been ours Is geographical. God gave
US the two oceans, and what God has
given us in these two oceans even the
league of nations can't take away
from us
"If any man had come to you three
years ago, before the war; if any man
should come to You three years hence
and say to you that he was entering
into partnership between this nation
and a foreign nat.1n by which the for
elgn nation should be given six votes
in that partnership and our country
should be given only one. you would
hoot him from the rostrum- if ne did
that three years ago or three years
hence you would hoot him away
But so strange and distorted is our
psychology to-day that this very prop
osition is made TO us. Now, | have
no prejudice against our English
brother. | admire him immensely;
admire the ability with which Lloyd
George represented the British En-
pire. would that we could have Sc
cured somebody to represent America
who could have served our interests
as well.
British Diplomacy Conceded
What a proud boast it was that he
made to his Parliament the other day
when he said he had added to the