Evening star., 1919-09-06
PRESIDENTS TREND
IN PACT'S DEFENSE
SEEN BY LAWRENCE
Argument Is Reduced to Sim
ole Statements-Becomes
BeIIigerent.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
EN- ROUTE TO KANSAS CITY, Mo-.
September 6.-President Wilson did
much better at Indianapolis and St.
Louis than at Columbus. Not only
did his speeches take better with the
crowds, but the people seemed to be
reused to high pitches of enthusiasm
which were totally lacking at the
outset
The President has evidently been
advised that the people want speeches
with a punch in them. In both In
dianapolis and st. Louis he adopted
the Rooseveltian tactics for the first
time in his career and brought his
audience to its feet again and again.
New Thing With Him.
That is a new thing with Woodrow
Wilson. Usually he depends upon the
torical persuasion. Today he is
changed. He is belligerent He is
making the fight of his life, and If his
speech at st. Louis, which seemed to
make the best impression thus far. is
an index of what he plans to do, the
public can expect Mr.. Wilson to
arouse the nation on the issue Of the
fervor hitherto absent on either side
OF the controversy.
The President is reducing his argu-
ment to simple statements. His appeal
to the St. Louis Chamber of Com
merce was especially intended for
business men: His plea to the farmers
who gathered from all parts of In
diana was vivid portrayal Of the
horrors of another war: his challenge
to critics was a defiant call for a
substitute program II they intend
to defeat the proposed league. His
central effort is to show that the op..
poenets of the league have picked
naws here and there. but have said
nothing Of the constructive possibili-
ties of twenty-three out of the
twenty-six articles Of the covenant.
Trend of Argument
Briefly the main trend of Mr.. Will
sons argument as now revealed is
this:
% If the treaty is not ratified by
the United States Europe viii go
ahead without US and the United
States will be left out in the cold
discredited and distrusted.
(2) The reparation commission is
really a group, of receivers sitting
over the bankrupt assets of Germany
That commission viii determine how
Germany shall pay her reparation
where she will buy materials and how
she will get credits. Mr.. Wilson says
that il only from a practical business
point Of view. America cannot AFFORD
to stay out. Americas trade and in
dustrial life are interviewer in the
economics of Europe.
go The President points to the in
| vasion of Belgium as a violation OF
territorial integrity and says that
| would forget Belgium and weak ma
| tions.
Seeks Irish Support.
| 90 To the Irish the Presiden,
| makes an open bid for support by
! limiting that America cannot intrude
| upon England's affairs now, but that
| under a league of nations ireland
can get a hearing and the moral sup.
| port of the United States.
| (5) With respect to foreign wars
and sending troops across the seas
| Mr.. Wilson emphasizes that Ameri.
| can boys cannot be compelled to fight
| unless the representative of ths
| United States in the leagues counsel
SO advises. and our representative
would be under instructions to take
no such step without the sanction OF
Congress.
(s) Faith in Japan's intention to
return Shantung to China Is express
ed without qualification by the Presi-
dent, and to those who don't trust
Japan and want to give the territory
back to China imfn ediately. Mr.. Viii.
| son addresses these questions:
| How will you take Shantune
away from Japan when Great Britain
and France are pledged already and
| have been pledged for two years tc
| give japan all the rights which Ger.
many enjoyed? Does America want
! to fight Great Britain and France
| and Japan, and is that the way te