The Yale expositor., 1919-03-13

Ills W w liSOh
told an audience of 5000 persons in
the Metropolitan opera house that he
was convinced that the majority of the
people were in favor of the league of
nations.
The league. he asserted, is the only
means of assuring permanent peace.
1t is meant, he said, as notice to all
outlaw nations that they must not at
tempt any such enterprise as Germany
had attempted
Critics of the covenant, he said, evil
IDENTIFY had not observed the temper of
the world or the temper of the boys In
khaki. "Those boys" he said, went
over there with the feeling that they
were sacredly bound to the realization
of those ideals"
The president spoke in his usual
carefully modulated tones, but now
and then, carried away by interest In
his subject raised his voice almost TO
shout as he emphasized some telling
point. He was frequently interrupted
by applause. The audience clearly
was in sympathy with him and with
his plan for making war impossible in
the future.
His opening assertion, 81 won't come
back till it's over, over there" won
the approval Of his hearers and he
was compelled to halt for more than
minute until the applause had subsd-
ed. Throughout, he spoke without ref
Qrpnpa IN nntaS Or Ynanncarinf
There was deafening applause at the
conclusion of the speech when the
president, speaking of the aims of the
conference, said:
God give us the strength and vision
TO do 1t wisely. God give us the priv
ilege of knowing that we did it with
out counting the cost and mecause we
were true Americans, lovers of liberty
and of the right"
Mr.. Taft, in his speech, indorsed the
presidents plans for league of ma
lions. The practicability of the pro-
posed covenant was explained by Mr..
Taft. The boycott, he asserted. would
be an effective weapon against any
nation refusing to abide by decisions
of the league.
The Monroe doctrine, Mr.. Taft said.
had been subjected to many varying
interpretations.
II have no objection to putting into
the covenant of the league a reserva-
ton as to the Monroe doctrine If we
can only find out what 1t u.s."
What the President Said.
The band struck up "Over There"
as the president stepped forward to
speak.
MY fellow citizens, l accept the in
timation of the air just played; will
not come back Till It's over. over
there (Applause.) And yet pray
God In the interests of peace and of
the world that that may be soon. (Ap-
plause) The first thing / am going
TO tell the people on the other side of
the water is that an overwhelming
majority of the American people is in
favor of the league of nations. CAD
plause) l know that that is true. I
have had unmistakable limitations of
It from all parts of the country and
the voice rings true in every case.
account myself fortunate to speak here
under the unusual circumstances Of
this evening. am happy to associate
myself with. Mr.. Taft in this great
cause. (Applause) He has displayed
an elevation of view and a devotion to
public duty which is beyond praise
Applause.) And / am the more happy
because this means that this Is not a
party issue. (Applause.) No party
has the right to appropriate this issue
and no party will in the long run dare
oppose 1t. (Applause.)
1--WE have listened to so clear and
admirable an exposition of many of
the main features of the proposed COW
enant OF the league of nations that
Il is perhaps not necessary for me to
discuss In any particular way the con-
tents Of the document. | will seek
rather to give you its settbg. 1 do
not know when have been more i'm
pressed than by the conferences of the
commission set up by the conference
of peace TO draw up covenant for
the league of nations. The represent
ntives of fourteen nations sat around
that board--not young men, not men
inexperienced in the affairs of their
own countries, not men inexperienced
In the politics of the world-and the in
spring influence of every meeting was
the concurrence Of purpose on the part
of all those men to come to an agree
ment and an effective working agree
ment with regard to this league of the
civilized world. There was convic-
ton In the whole impulse. There was
conviction Of more than one sort.
There was the conviction that this
thing ought to be done. and there was
also the conviction that not n man
there would venture to go home and
say that he had not tried to do IL.