Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-24
TAFT APPEALS
FOR OPINIONS
UPON LEAGUE
Ex-PreSident and Associates
Urge Citizens to Bring
Pressure Upon Congress
in Favor of Plan.

Bitter Creek, Wyo., Feb 23.-Ap-
peal to the people OF the United
States TO express their opinions on
the proposed league OF nations SO
clear and strong that our represent
tatives in congress may know that
the people Of the United States are
determined to assume their part in
this crisis of human history" was
made in a statment issued here. to-
night BY William Howard TAFT and
other members of the party touring
the country in interests OF the pro-
posed league.
The statement, issued as their
train reached here, was signed by
MIR. Taft, Henry Morgenthau, a
Lawrence Lowell and Henry Van
DYKE. 1t bears the caption: AN
Appeal to Our Fellow Citizens and
is as follows:
"The war against military autoc-
racy has been won because the
great free nations acted together
and its results will be secured only
II they continue TO act together.
The forces making for autocratic
rule on the one hand and Tor vio-
lence Of bolshevism on the other.
are still at work. In so years the
small state of Prussia so organized
central Europe as to defy the world.
In the present disorganized state
OF central and eastern Europe that
can be done again on a still larg-
er scale and menace all free instl-
buttons.
Turn Civilization Backward.
1.-THE death of millions of men
and the destruction and debt in
another world war would turn civil
zation backward for generations.
In such a war we shall certainly be
involved and out best young men
will be sacrificed as the French and
English have been sacrificing in the,
last four years.
Such a war can be prevented only
BY reconstruction of the small states
dow seeking self government on the
basis of freedom and justice, but
this is impossible without a league,
for, divided, its members are not
strong enough for the task. Should
the victorious nations fail to form
league, German imperialists would
have a clearer field for their designs.
by the abundance of its nation
al resources, by the number, JUS
tice and character of its people,
the United States has become
world power. 1t cannot avoid risks
and must assume the responsible
tiles Of IT'S position. 1t cannot stand
aloof, but must face boldly the facts
of the day with confidence in it.
self and its future among the great
nations of the earth.
Must Consider Problems.
United as never before, our peo-
pie have fought this war, united and
above party, we must consider the
problems OF peace, resolved that, so
far as in us lies, war shall not
more scourge mankind
The covenant reported to the
Paris conference has come since the
last election and the people have
had no chance to pass judgment
upons it. In this journey from
coast to coast, we have looked into
the faces of more than 100000 typi-
cal Americans and believe that the
great majority Of our countrymen
desire to take part in such league
as is proposed in that document. We
appeal to our fellow citizens, there
fore, to study earnestly this ques-
ton and express their opinions with
voice so clear and strong that
our representatives in congress may
know that the people of the United
States are determined to assume
their part in this crisis Of human
history.
The alternative to league Of
nations is the heavy burden and
the constant temptation Of universal
armament"