Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-08-13

Washington, Aug. 12-Describing'
the League of Nations as a de,
formed experiment upon a noble
purpose" Senator Lodge Of Mas
sachusetTs. Chairman Of the For
eign Relations Committee and Re-
publican leader of the Senate, de-
ciared in Senate speech today that
there were features Of the league
covenant which as an American" hs
never could accept.
Creating, not a league of peace but
an alliance embracing many pro-
visions for war" the covenant in its
present form, he asserted. would XIII
the Monroe Doctrine, nuiiify any
possibility Of withdrawal from MEM
bership, impair the sovereign power
of deciding domestic questions. and
plunge the United States into every
controversy and conflict in the face
of the globe.
Let Us beware" he said. how We.
palter with our independence. We.
have not reached the great position.
from which we were able to come
down into the field Of battle and helm
to save the world from tyranny. fJy
being guided by others. Our vast;
| power has all been built IN and
gathered together by ourselves alone.
We forced our way inward from
the days of the Revolution. through
/ world often hostile and always In
olnerent We owe no debt TO ANY,
one except to France in our revolu-
ton and those policies and those
rights on which our power has been
founded should never be lessened or
weakened. II will be no sesvice IN
the world to do so and ii viii be Of
lntolerable injury TO the United
States. We will do our share. We
are ready and anxious TO helm In an
ways TO preserve the worlds peace.
But we can do it best by not Grip
ping ourselves.
i am as anxious as any human be-
4, ing can be TO have the United States
render every possible service to TIM
civilization and the peace of man.
kind. but am certain we can do II
( best by not putting ourselves in
/ leading strings or subjecting our poll
/ icies and our sovereignty to other
nations. / will 60 as far as anyone
in world service. but the FIRST step
| 10 world service is the maintenance
of the United States. You may call
me selfish. II you viii, conservative
or reactlonary, but an American I
was born. an American have re-
manned all my life.
Il can never be anything else but
an American. and / mast think of
/ the United States first. end when I
think of the United States FIRST in an
arrangement like this / am thinking
of what is best for the world, for il
the United States fails. the best
hopes of mankind fail with IL I
have never had but one allegiance
l can not divide il now.
/ The United States is the world $
1 best hope. but If you fetter her IN
+! interests and qaarrels of other ma
! tons, if YOU tangie her in the in
i trigues Of Europe. YOU will destroy
her power for good and endanger
/ her very existence.
| We are told that we shall Tbreal;
the heart Of the world II we do not
! take this league just as it stands.
fear that the hearts OF the vast ma
! jority of mankind would beat on
strongly and steadily and without
any quickening II the league were to
perish altogether. II il should be
/ effectively and beneficientls changed
the naoY,le vvho u-nuld Lie awake IN
sorrow for a single night could be
easily gathered in one not very large
| (Ecrtiuued on Page 10-ccI. 81