The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-03-07

of Europe is due entirely to economic
causes or economic motives; some
thing very much deeper underlies all
than that. They see that their gov
ernments have never been able to de-
fend them against intrigue or aggres-
sion, and that there is no force of
foresight or prudence in any modern
cabinet to stop war. And. therefore,
they say: There must be some fun
damental cause for this and the fun
damental cause they are beginning to
perceive to be is that nations have
stood singly or in little jealous groups
against each other, fostering prejudice.
increasing the danger of war. rather
than concerning measures to prevent
it, and if there is right in the world,
If there is justice in the world, there
is no reason why nations should be
divided in the support of justice.
What the People Are Saying.
"They are therefore saying. if you
really believe that there is right,
if you really believe that wars ought
to be stopped, stop thinking about
the rival interests of nations and
think about men and women and chill
dren throughout the world.
Nations are not made to afford
distinction to their rulers by way of
success in the maneuvers of politics;
nations are meant, if they are meant
for anything, to make the men and
women and children in them secure
and happy and prosperous and no
nation has the right to set up special
interests against the interests and
benefits of mankind, least of all this
great nations which We love.
Fail to Observe Temper of Boys.
There is another thing which !
think the critics of this covenant have
not observed. They not only have not
observed the temper Of the world, but
they have not even observed the tenn
per of those splendid boys in khaki
that they sent across seas. have had
the proud consciousness of the re-
fiected glory of those boys, because
the constitution made me their COM
mander in chief and they have taught
me some lessons. When we went into
the war, we went into it on the basis
of declarations, which it was my priv
ilege to utter, because believed them
to be an Interpretation of the purpose
and thought of the people of the Uni
ted States.
"And those boys went over there
with the feeling that they were sacred
ly bound to the realization of those
ideals; that they were not only going
over there to beat Germany; they
were not going over there merely with
resentment in their hearts against
particular outlaw nation; but that
they were crossing those 5000 miles of
sea in order to show Europe that the
United States when it became neces-
sary would go anywhere where the
rights of mankind were threatened.
Pledges Self Not to Slacken Effort.
And do you suppose that having
felt that crusading spirit of these
youngsters, who went over there not
to glorify America, but to save their
fellowmen, 1 am going to permit my
self for one moment to slacken in my
effort to be worthy of them and their
cause? What l said at the opening,
said with deeper meaning than per-
haps you have caught; do mean not
to come back till it's over over there
and it must not be over until the ma
tons of the world are assured of the
permanency of peace.
II must say l have been puzzled by
some of the criticisms, not by the
criticisms themselves; l can under
stand them perfectly even when there
was no foundation for them, but by
the fact of the criticism. I cannot
imagine how these gentlemen can live
and not live in the atmosphere of the
world.
Condemns Doctrine of SeIfishness.
Il cannot imagine how they can
live and not be in contact with the
events of the times and particularly
cannot imagine how they can be Amer
leans and set up a doctrine of careful
selfishness throughout to the last de-
tail. l have heard no counsel of gen.
crosby in their criticism. have heard
no constructive suggestion; l have
heard nothing except will it not be
dangerous to us to help the world?
1t would be fatal to us not to help it.
From being what will venture to
call the most famous and the most
powerful nation in the world we would
of a sudden have become the most
contemplate. So, did not need to be
told, as have been told, that the peo-
pie of the United States would sup
port this covenant. am an American
and l knew they would.
Interpreted Washington Alright.
"Mr. Taft was speaking of Wash
ington's utterances about entangling al
liances and if he will permit me to
say so, he put exactly the right in
depreciation upon what Washington
said, the Interpretation that is newt
able if you read what he said, as
most of these gentlemen do not, and
the thing he longed for was just what
we are now about to upply-an ar
rangement which will disentangle all
the alliances in the world.
Has Renewed visor. 49,.
Nations promise not to have aill-
ances. Nations promise not to make
combinations against each other, ma
tions agree that there be but one COM
bination and that is the combination
of all gainst the wrongdoer. And so
I am going back to my task on the
other side with renewed vigor, l had
not forgotten what the spirit of the