Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-06-13

to see to it that there never is such
war again. The nation that should
now fling out of this common con-
cord of country would betray the
human race,
$50 it is our duty to take and
maintain the safeguards which will
see to it that the mothers of Amer
lea and the mothers of France and
England, and Italy, and Belgium,
and all the other suffering nations
should never be called upon for this
sacrifice again. This can be done.
1t must be done, and it will be done.
The thing that these men left us,
though they did not in their coun-
sells conceive it, is the great instru-
ment which we have just erected in
the league of nations. The league
of nations is the covenant of gov
ernments that these men shall not
have died in vain. l like to think
that the dust of those sons of Amer
lea who were privileged to be bur-
led in their mother country will
mingle with the dust of the men
who fought for the preservation of
the Union, and that as those men
gave their lives in order that Amer
ca might be united, these men
have given their lives in order to
secure the freedom of the world.
These men have given theirs in
order TO secure the freedom of man
kind, and look forward to an age
when it will be just as impossible
n fhn &c of I,I>
as it is now impossible to regrcat
the labor of those who fought for
the union of the States. | look for
the time when every man who now
puts his counsel against the united
service Of mankind under the league
of nations will be just as ashamed
of ii as if he now regretted the
union Of the States.
You are aware, as | am aware,
that the airs of an older day are be-
ginning to stir again, that the
standards of an older order arc try
ing to assert themselves again.
There is here and there an attempt
TO insert into the counsel of states
men the old reckoning of selfish
ness and bargaining and national
advantage which were the roots of
this war, and any man who can
sells these things advocates the re-
newal of the sacrifice which these
men have made; for if this is not
the final battle for right, there will
be another that will be final.
Let these gentlemen who suppose
that it is possible for them to ac-
f.nrnnIicl, chic ~
of which we ars ashamed and
that we are ready to forget
realize they cannot accomplish it.
The peoples of the world are awake
and the peoples of the world are in
the saddle, Private counScIs of
statesmen cannot now and cannot
hereafter determine the dcstinics of
nations.
If we arc not the servants of the
opinions of mankind, we are of all
men the littlcst, the most contempt
Iblc, the least gifted with vision. If
we do not know our age we cannot
accomplish our purpose, and this
age is an age which looks forward
not backward; which rejects the
standard of national SclfishncSs that
once governed the councilS of ma
tons and demands tina. thcy shall
give way to n new order OF things,
in which the only question will be,
SIS it right?' SIS it just?" 'Is it i'm
the interest of mankind?"
This is a challenge that no pre-
vious generation ever dared to give
ear to. SO many things have hap
pcncd, and they have happened so
fast, in the last four years, that | do
not think many of us realize what it
is that has happened. Think how
impossible it would have been to
get a body of responsible states
men seriously TO entertain the idea
Of the organization of league of
nations four years ago! And think
of the change that has taken place /!
| was told before | came TO
France that there would be CON
fusion of counsels about this thing,
and found unity of counsel. | was
told there would be opposition, and
| found unity of action. found
the statesmen with whom | was
about TO sit believed that we could
not merely make peace settlement
and then leave it 10 make itself eff
fcCtual, hut that we must conceive
some common organization by
which we should give our common
faith that this peace would be main
tanned and the conclusions at which
We had arrived should be made as
secure as the united councils of all
The great nations that fought against
Germany could make them.
We have listened TO the challenge
and that is The proof that there shall
never be war like this again.