Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-01-31

where watchful and attentive.
And IL we do not make it vital
what shall we do? We shall disap
point the expectations of the peoples
This is what their thought center:
upon.
'T had the very delightful experience
of visiting several nations since came
to this side Of the water. and every
time the voice Of the body Of the pco'
pie reached me, through whatever rep.
sentative, at the front of the plea stood
the hope of the League Of nations.
, Gentlemen, the select classes OF
mankind are no longer the governors
of mankind. The fortunes of mankind
are now in the hands of the plain peo-
pie Of the whole world. Satisfy them
and you have justified their confidence
not only, but have established peace
Fail to satisfy them, and no arrange
ment that you can make will either Sc,
or steady the peace Of the world.
"You can imagip :. I dare say, the
sentiment and the ] urpose with which
the representative Of the United
States support this ;reat project for a
League Of Nations. We regard it as
the keynote of the whole, which ex-
pressed our purposes and ideals in
this war and which the associated ma
tions have accepted as the basis of q
settlement.
IF we return to the United States
without having made every effort in
our power to realize this programme
we should return to meet the meriteo
scorn of our fellow citizens. For they
are a body that constitute great de-
mocracy. They expect their leaders to
speak; their representatives to be their
servants.
1--WE have no choice but to obey their
mandate. But it is with the creates,
enthusiasm and pleasure that we ac.
cept that mandate. And because this
is the keynote Of the whole fabric we
have pledged our every purpose to it
as we have to every item Of the fabric
We would not dare abate a single item
of the programme which constitutes
our instructions; we would not dare tc
compromise upon any matter as the
champion Of this thing-this peace OF
the world, this attitude Of justice, this
principle that we are the masters of nc
peoples, but are here to see that every
people in the world shall choose It's
own masters and govern its own des-
TIMES, not as we wish, but as they wish
1--WE are here to see, in short, thai
the very foundations Of this war are
swept away. Those foundations were
the private choice Of a small coterie
of civil rulers and military staffs
Those foundations were the aggression
of great powers upon the small. Those
foundations were the holding together
of empires Of unwilling subjects by
the duress of arms. Those foundations
were the power of small bodies Of men
to WELD their will and use mankind as
pawns in a game. And nothing less
than the emancipation of the world
from these things will accomplish
peace.
You can see that the representatives
Of the United States are, therefore
never put to the embarrassments OF
choosing a way Of expediency, because
they have laid down before them the
unalterable lines of principles. And
thank God, these lines have been ac-
cepted as the lines of settlements by
all the high-minded men who have
had to do with the beginning of this
great business.
IT hope, Mr.. Chairman, when 1t Is
known, as 1 feel confident, it will be
known, that we have adopted the pr n
ciple of the League Of Nations ano
mean to work out that principle in ef,
fective action, we shall by that single
thing have lifted a great part Of the
load of anxiety from the hearts Of men
everywhere.
1--WE stand in peculiar cause. AS
go about the streets here, see every
where the American uniform. Those
men came into the war after we had
uttered our purpose. They came as
crusaders, not merely to win war, but
to win a cause. And 1 am responsible
for them, for it falls to me to formu-
late the purpose for which l asked
them to fight, and I, like them. mus,
be a crusader for these things, what
ever it costs and whatever it might bt
necessary to do in honor to accomplish
the object for which they fought.
IT have been glad to find from day
to day that there is no question OF oul
standing alone in this matter, fol
there are champions Of this cause upor
every hand. am merely avowing thi:
in order that you may understand why
perhaps, it fell to US, who are olsen
gagged from the politics Of this grea
continent and Of the Orient, to sugges'
that this was the keystone of the arch
and why it occurred to the generou!
mind of your president to call upon me
to open this debate. 1t is not because
we alone represent this idea, but be-
cause it is our privilege to associate
ourselves with you in representing it.
"I have only tried, in what 1 have
said, to give you the fountains of the
enthusiasm which is within US for thi:
thing; for those fountains spring, i
seems to me, from all the ancien
wrongs and sympathies Of mankind
and the very pulse Of the world seems
to beat to the fullest in this enter
prise"
| FROM A SOLDIER.
- n - E.,.oa Sapde Mes