Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-02-25

ton. They did not see any great
thing to be achieved even when the
war should be won. They hS.Ded there
would be some salvage: luey hoped
that they could clear their territories
of invading armies; they hoped they
could set up their homes and start
their industries afresh. But they
thought it would simply be the re-
sumption of the old life that Europe
had Ied-led in fear, led in anxiety,
led in constant suspicious watchful
ness. They never dreamed that II
would be a Europe OF settled peace
and of justified hope.
And now these ideals nave wrought
this new magic, that all the peoples
OF Europe are buoyed up and conf
dent in the spirit of hope, because
they believe that we are at the eve of
d new age in the world when nations
will understand one another; when
nations will support one another in
unite every moral and every physical
strength to see that the right shall
prevail.
"If America were at this junction
to fail the world. what would come
| OF it? I 10 not mean any disrespect
to any other great people when I say
that America is the hope of the
world; and if she does not justify
that hope the results are upthinka BILE.
| Men will be thrown back upon the
| bitterness Of disappointment not only,
but the bitterness of despair
All nations will be set up as hostile
| camps again: the men at the peace
, conference viii so home with their
heads upon their breasts, knowing
| that they have failed-for they We're
| hidden not to come home from there
/ until they did something more than
sign a treaty of peace.
| Suppose we sigh the treaty &C
! PEACE and that it is the most salts
! factory treaty of peace that the con-
! fIsing elements of the REDEEM world
will afford and go home and think
| about our labors; We will know that
we have left written upon the historic
| table at Versailles: upon which Yer
serSes and Benjamin Franklin wrote
| their names, nothing but a modern
! scrap of paper; no nations united to
| defend it, no great forces combined 70
| make it good: no assurance given to
| the downtrodden and fearful people of
| the world that they shall be safe. Any
man who thinks that America WIN
take part in giving the world any such
rebuff and disappointment as that
does not know America
II invite him TO test the sentiments
Of the nation. We set this nation up
and make this nation free and we did
rot COnfine our conception and pur-
pose to America and now we will make
men free. If we did not do that the
fame of America would be gone and
all her powers would be dissipated.
She then would have to keep her
power for those narrow, selfish, pro-
vincial purposes which seem so dear
to some minds that have no sweep
beyond the nearest horizon. l should
welcome no sweeter challenge than
} that. I have fighting blood in me and
it is sometimes a delight to let 1t have
! scope, but if it is a challenge on this
occasion it will be an indulgence.
Think of the picture, think of the
utter blackness that would fall on the
, world. America has failed! America
: made a little essay at generosity and
then withdrew. America said: We
; are your friends, but it was only for
| today, not for tomorrow. America
said. Here is our power TO vindicate
right, and then the next day said:
: Let right take care of itself and we
will take care of ourselves America
said: We set up a light to lead mer
i along the paths of liberty but we have
2 lowered it: it is intended only to ligh'
our own path We set up a gTea
e ideal of liberty and then we said:
Y Liberty is a thing that you must wiz
, for yourself. Do not call upon u.s. and
: think of the world that we woult
: leave. Do you realize how many new
4 nations are going to be set up in thu
Il presence of old and powerful nationt
d in Europe and left there. if left b.
Il US, without a disinterested friend?
e do you believe in the Polish cause
d as I do? Are you going to set up Pc
y land, imma ture, inexperienced, as We
: unorganiZed, and leave her with a cir
e Gle of armies around her? Do you be