The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-07-11
WILSON SPEAKS
BEFORE SENATE
Says League of Free Nations Is
Practical Necessity to Assure
Future of World.
AMERICA FRIEND OF ALL
Moral Leadership Of World Offered to
United States and Question Shall
We Accept or Reject lt-Amer-
lea Made Victory Certain.

Washington, July 11.-Following is
President Wilson's address before the
United States senate:
Gentlemen of the Senate: The
treaty of peace with Germany was
signed at Versailles on the 18th of
June. l avail myself of the earliest
opportunity to lay the treaty before
you for ratification and to inform you
with regard to the work of the con.
terence by which the treaty was form
ulated.
The treaty constitutes nothing less
than a world settlement. 1t would not
be possible for me either to sum-
marize or to construe it's manifold pro-
visions in an address which must Of
necessity be something less than a
treatise.
My services and all the information
[ possess will be al your disposal and
at the disposal of your committee on
foreign relations at any time, either in
formally or in session, as you may pre-
fer. and hope that you will not hest
tate to make use of them. | shall at
this time, prior to your own study of
the document, attempt only a general
characterization of its scope and pur-
pose.
Historical Circumstances" Control.
In one sense, no doubt, there is no
need that | should report to you what
was attempted and done at Paris. You
have been daily cognizant of what was
going on thereof the problems with
which the peace conference had to
deal and OF the difficulty of laying
down straight lines of settlement any
where on a field on which the old lines
Of international relationship, and the
new, alike, followed so intricate a pat
tern and were for the most part cut
20 deep by historical circumstances,
which dominated action where it
would have been best to ignore or re-
verse them. The c-ross-currents of
politics and of interest must have been
evident to you. 1t would be presum-
Ing in me to attempt to explain the
questions which arose or the many di-
verse elements which entered into
them. / shall attempt something less
ambitious than that and more clearly
suggested by my duty to report to the
congress the part 1t seemed necessary
Tor my colleagues and me to play, as
the representatives OF the government
Of the United States.
American Role Determined.
That part was dictated by the role
America had played In the war and by
the expectations that had been cre-
ated in the minds OF the peoples with
whom we had associated ourselves in
that great struggle.
The United States entered the wal
upon q different footing from every
other nation except our associates on
this side the sea. We entered IL, not
because our material interests were
directly threatened or because any
special treaty obligations to which we
were parties had been violated, but
only because we saw the supremacy,
and even the validity, of right every
where put In jeopardy and free gov
eminent likely to be everywhere i'm
periled by the intolerable aggression
OF . power which respected neither
right nor obligation and whose very
system of government fouted the
rights Of the citizens as against the
autocratic authority of his governors
And In the settlements of the peace
we have sought no special reparation
for ourselves, but only the restoration
Of right and the assurance of liberty
everywhere that the effects OF the
settlement we're to be felt.
y. s. Champion Of Right.
We entered the war as the disinter
ested champions OF right and We in
terested ourselves In the terms OF thu
peace in no other capacity.
The hopes OF the nations alice
against the Central Powers were at {
very low ebb when U soldiers begaI
to pour across the sea There wal
everywhere amongst them, except II
their stoutest spirits. q somber fore
boding Of disaster. The war ended II
November, eight months ago, but vol
have only to recall what was feared
IN midsummer last, four short months
before the armistice, to realize wha'
It was that our timely aid accom-
plished alike for their morale and
their physical safety.
That first, never to be forgotten &C
tion 1t Chateau Thierry, had alread,
taken place. Our redoubtable soldiers
and marines had already closed thu
gap the enemy had succeeded In open
ing for their advance upon Paris--hat
already turned the tide Of battle bacl
towards the frontiers Of France ant
begun the rout that vas to save Eu
rope and the world.
This Is not the occasion upon which
70 utter . eulogy Of the armies Amer
lea vent to France, but, perhaps. since
am speaking OF their mission ma!
speak also OF the pride ! shared witt
ovory American who saw or dealt witt
0om there. They were the sort 9
Non America would wish to be repre-
o1ntod BY, the sort OF men ever
Dertc&n would wish To claim a. sel
ccuntrymen and comrades IN
cause.
Makss Triumph Permanent.
conviction Of what they stuo.