The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-08
Any Reservation Concern
ing the Monroe Doctrine
Unnecessary Because
That Doctrine Has Been
Swallowed, Hook, Line
and Sinker'-The Treaty
Should Be Taken or Left
Can't Tell How Long 1t
Will Take the United
States Senate to Do Any
thing

OMAHA, Nebr., Sept S.-Prompt ae
ceptanee for the peace treaty SO that
uncertainties in labor conditions
throughout the world might be cleared
up was urged by President Wilson be
fore an Omaha audience today. The in
ternational labor organization to be set
up under the treaty, he said would give
to labor new bill of rights.
Quoting Article 10 of the league cove
nant, Mr.. Wilson said anyone who un-
derstands the English language must
admit that when it said the league conld
| ''advise' il meant s'advise' and not
| compel He characterized the league
as the only possible guarantee against
war; and said he would feel recreant
to those who fought the war if he did
not secure its adoption. It was not an
"'absolute guarantee, he added, be-
cause there was no absolute guarantee
against human passion.
Replying to argument advanced by
those who favor reservations, the
President said "a reservation is an as
sent with big but. We agree-but.
The proposed reservation providing for
unconditional withdrawal from member
ship, he said, meant that its sponsorS
wanted to ''sit near the door with th9fr
hands on the knob and if they saw
anything they didn t like to "scuttle
and run" The league provision that
international obligations must be full
filed before withdrawal never woulC
restrain the United States, he said, be
cause this nation always would live VI
to its provision.
Those who want reservation to ar
: ticle 10, he continued simply didn ;
want to come in now, but wanted to b.
''late joiners. Any reservation regard
t ing the Monroe doctrine he added wa
unnecessary, because the doctrine ha,
been swallowed, hook. line and sink
er" by the peace conference and ha,
. been authenticated by the big power
: of the world for the first time.
. So far as reservations about domesti
j, | questions were concerned. he declared
! it would be a work of superrogatior
:. We didn t ask Germany s consen
q about the meaning of any one of thos
. terms when we were in Paris he saiG
v "We told them what, they meant an
# said sign here. Does any patriot
% American want that method changed?
o. There were cries of "'No, no. frol
+ the crowd
If reservations were put in the Pre
II ident said all that the senate had writ
> ten in would have to go back for ii
N consent of Germany. He said that thel
,r were indications that those on the otht
\, side of the water are not in as good
r humor as they had been.
N The only way the Shantung provisio
o. could be hettered, he declared wou
Of be to go to war with Japan, Englar
and France. lie told the crowd the nj
tion could not "sign all but part
the treaty 81 We cannot re-write tn
treaty, we must take it or leave it,
said.
He said he believed the treaty shou
be accepted soon, but added ''but
man can tell how long it will take t
H. United States senate to do anything.
nd He paid tribute to Senator Hitc
rn cock, the Democratic leader in t
Ier treaty fight, whose home is in Omol
IL He had been 'sproud to stand by Sen
tor Hitchcock in the fight y he said.