American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-02-28

They did not see any great thing to be
achieved. even when the a should
be won. They hoped there would be
some salvage; they hoped that they
would clear their territories of inyad-
ing armies they hoped they could set
up their homes and start their indus
tries afresh. But they thought it
would simply be the resumption OF he
old life that Europe had led-led In
fear. led in anxiety, led in constant
suspicious watchfulness. They never
dreamed that il would be a Europe of
settled peace and Of justified hope.
And now these ideals have wrought
this new magic, that all the people of
Europe are bouyed up and confident
in the spirit of hope, because they be-
lieve that we are at the eve of a new
age in the world, when nations will
understand one another, when nations
will support n another in every Just
cause, when nations will unite every
moral and every physical strength to
see that the right shall prevail
IL America we're at this junction to
fail the world, what would come OF IL?
| dc not mean any disrespect to any
other great people when l say that
America Is the hope OF the world; and
II she does not justify that hope, the
results are unthinkable. Men Will be
thrown pack upon the bitterness of
disappointment not only, but the bot
terness of despair. All nations will be
set up as hostile camps again; the
men at the peace conference Will go
home with their heads upon their
breasts, knowing that they have failed;
for they were hidden not to come home
from there until they did something
more than sign a treaty of peace.
Suppose we sign the treaty Of peace,
and that It Is the most satisfactory
treaty OF peace that the confiding ele-
ments of the modern world viii afford,
and 90 home and think about our
labors; we will know that we have left
written upon the historic table at Yer
s~ailles, upon which Vergennes and
BENJAMIN Franklin wrote their names,
nothing but a modern scrap OF paper;
no nations united to defend II, no
great forces combined to make 1t good,
no assurance given to the d~owntrodden
and fearful people of the world that
they shall be safe. Any man who
thinks that America will take part in
] NlnE lt WI III aug phth iCbhh oiiN
disappointment as that does not know
America.
invite him to test the sentiments
Of the nation. We set this up to make
men free and we did aot confine our
conception and purpose to America
and now we will make men free.
II we did not do that the fame OF
America would be one and all her
powers would be dissipated. She
then would have to keep her power
for those narrow, selfish. provincial
purposes which seem SC dear to some
minds that have no sweep beyond the
nearest horizon. | should welcome
no sweeter challenge than that.
have lighting blood in me and it Is
sometimes a delight to let 1T have
scope, but II II is a challenge on thi:
occasion It will be an indulgence
s Think of the picture. think of the ut
ter blackness that would fall on thu
world.
n America has failed! America made
s q little essay at generosity and ther
o withdrew. America said; Here Il
our power to vindicate right" ant
then the next day said; LET RICH
o take care OF itself and we will tax,
L care of ourselves" America said
+ I'VE set up a light to lead men aloni
the paths of liberty, but we have low
v cred It.. II Is intended only to ligh
our own path" We set up a grea
Il ideal of liberty and hen we said
e Liberty Is a thing that you must VIII
= for yourself. Do not call up on us.
and think Of the world that we woul,
leave, DO you realize how many new
nations are going to be set up in tn
presence of old and powerful nation
in Europe and left there, IL left by MS
without Il disinterested friend?
DO you believe In the Polish cause
as | do? Are you going to set u
Poland. immature, inexperienced, a
yet ~unorganized, and leave her wit
a circle of armies around her? ID
you believe in the aspiration of tn
C2acho-Slovaks and the Jugo-Slovak
as | do? DO you know how man
powers would be quick to pounce NJ
on them II there were not the guar
antees of the world behind their lii
erty?
Have you thought of the sufferin
of Armenia? You poured out you
money to help succor the Armenian
after they suffered now set you
strength so that they shall never SUI.
fer again.
The arrangements of the preser
- peace cannot stand a generation III
- less they are guaranteed by the uni
ed forces Of the civilized world, An
if we do not guarantee them, cann,
you see the picture? Your heart
have instructed you where the bul
den OF this war fell, It did not ia
upon the national treasures, 1t d
not fall upon tho instruments of az
m~inistration, il did not fall upon r,
sources of the nations, 1t fell upo
the victims homes everywhere, whel
women were toiling in hope that the
men would come back.
When | think of the homes upc
which duh despair would settle wei
this great hope disappointed, I shouI
wish for my part never to have hi
America play any part whatever
his attempt to emanCipate the worl