The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-10-03
WILSON ANSWERS
TREATY DIRECTORS
Declares That One by One
the Objections to it Have
Melted Away.
MEANING OF ARTICLE x
There is no Force to oblige the United
States to Do Anything, Except
Moral Force, President Wilson
Tells utahns.

Salt Lake City.-The complete text
of President Wilson's address at the
Tabernacle, Tuesday night, September
23 during which he set forth his ar
Euments for the speedy ratification of
the treaty and answered the principal
objections of his opponents, follows:
Governor Bamberger, President Grant, my
fellow eountrymen: 1t is indeed inspiring TO
staud before this great audience, yet feel that
nave come to present theme which deserves
the greatest of all audiences. / must adj
NIT to very considerable degree of un-
affected difhdence in presenting this theme,
because the theme is so much bigger than any
mans capacity to present it adequately. 1t
Is theme which must engage the enthu-
siastic support of every lover of humanity.
every man who processes Christian conven-
asked to make what cannot help character
izing as the most critical decision have
ever made in the history of America.
We sent our boys across the sea to de-
feat the purposes of Germany. We
gagged that if they would defeat the purposes
of Germany we would complete what they
had begun and make such arrangements of
international concert would make it impos-
sible for any such attempt ever to be made
again
Says Nation for Pact.
The question, therefore, is, Shall we see it
through? Or shall at this most crit
zeal juncture of the whole transaction turn
away from associates in the war. decline
TO complete and fulfill our sacred promises
TO mankind.
have now crossed the continent, my fell
low countlymen, and am on my way east
again and l feel qualified to render testi-
mony as to the attitude of this great nation
towards the covenants of the league, and
say without the slightest hesitation that an
overwhelming majority Of our fellow country
men purposes that these covenants shall be
adopted.
One by one the objections to it have melted
away. One by it has become evident
that the objections urged against it were with
out sufficient foundation. One by it has
become impossible to support them as obiec-
tions. And at last come to the point
Of critical choice as to the very heart of the
whole matter. For, my fellow citizens, you
know it troubled some of our public men
because they afraid that it not per-
fectly clear that could withdraw from this
arrangement whenever wanted. There is
no justification for doubt in any part of the
language of the covenant that point. The
United States is at liberty to withdraw at
any time upon two years notice, the only
restriction being when it withdraws it shall
have fulfilled its international obligations and
its obligations under the covenants of the
league, but it is left to its own conscience
and to other tribunal. 1t has to be de-
termined whether those obligations have been
fulfilled not. And for am not afraid
OF the Judgment of mankind with regard to it.
The United States never has failed to full
fill its International obligations 1t never will
fail. / ready to go to the great jury
Of humanity upon that matter upon any time
that should withdraw from this arrange
ment But / not one of those when /
go into great enterprise, think first of how
am going to get out of it. | think first
of how am going to stay in it with what
power of influences l am going to try to
promote the objects of the great concert and
association which is being formed
And that is the temper of America. / was
quoting the other night the jest of Ameri-
can wit who, commenting upon the extra
ordinary rapidity with which we had trained
army, said that it easier to train
an army in America than anywhere else. takes
less time because you had to train them to
go only one way. And the issues that we
are debating were really decided at Chateau,
Thierry, Belleau Wood and in the Argonne.
So that we are put to the test by
these who fought they put to
the test by those of US who ordered them to
the field of battle, and the United States,
the people of the United States, have the same
training their army. They do not look
back. They go only way.
The doubt to whether some superior
authority TO our own congress could inter
in matters of domestic policy is removed.
The language of the covenant expressly ex-
cudes the authorities of the league from taxi
ing any action or expressing any judgment
with regard to domestic policies like immi-
grafton, like naturalization, like the tariff,
like all of those things which have lain at the
center so often of our political action No
body doubts any longer that the covenant
gives explicit, unqualified recognition to the
Monroe doctrine. Indeed, it does more than
that 1t adopts the principle of the Monroe
doctrine the principle of the world.
Monroe Doctrine.
The principle of the Monroe doctrine is
that no nation has the right to interfere
with the affairs to impose its own will
in any way upon another nation. President
Monroe said TO the governments of Europe
that any attempt of that sort the part
of any government of Europe would be re
garded as an act unfriendly to the United
States The covenant of the league Endorses
that The covenant of the league IS that
nothing in that document shall be construed
as affecting the validity of the Monroe doct-
rine which says that if any power seeks
to impose its win upon any American state
in North America, Central America, South
America, it now acknowledges the right OF
the government of the United States to take
the initiative.
So that the forces of objection being driven
out of one post after another are now cen
tering upon the heart of the league itself.
| have come here tonight, my fellow eoun-
trymen. to discuss that critical matter that
you constantly see in the newspapers that we
call reservations. / want you to have a very
clear idea of what is meant by reservations
Reservations to all intents and purposes
equivalent to amendments. l can say, be.
Ieve with confidence, that IL is the Judgment
Of the people of the United States that neither
.he treaty the covenant should be
.mended.
Very well then, look at the character Of
reservation. What does reservation mean
It means a stipulation that this particular
government insists upon interpreting its atti
tude to that covenant in a special way.
It insists upon Interpreting it in way If
which other nations do not interpret
e. This thing. when ratify it. is con
tract You cannot alter much the words
of a contract without the consent of the Other
parties. Any reservation that have viii
have 10 be carried to all the other sigma
tories Germany included. We shall have tC
get the consent of Germany among the resi-
to read this covenant in some special way ir
which we prefer to read it in their interests
or in the interests of the safety of America
That TO my mind, is of the most unac
aseptable things that could happen, to reoper
negotiations with Germany. and | don't be
ileve that any part of the world is in the
temper to do that (Appiause.) And in or
der to bring this matter, to put this matter
Ia such a shape as will lend itself to con
srete calculation, let met read you what
understand is a proposed form of reservation
Reads Reservations.
'.T'he United States assumes no obligation
under the provisions of article 10 to pre-
serve the territorial integrity or political in
dependence of any other country or to inter
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