The Washington herald., 1919-02-23
SENATOR REED HOLDS
NATIONS LEAGUE PLAN
PERILOUS TO AMERICA
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

iAoh Aob oANr>
Of Colorado, and vardaman, of Miss
issippi, both members of the Presi-
dents party, started the applause
with a vigorous clapping of hands.
Others Senators quickly took 1t up
until nearly everyone on the floor
Joined in. The people in the CALLER
les made the demonstration unani-
nous.
Vice President Marshall. who was
in the chair. made no attempt to stop
the demonstration. which was unlike
ever before heard within
the staid precincts of the Senate
chamber.
In beginning his speech, Senator
Reed departed from his usual custom
Of doing without notes, and read a
prepared digest of the pro-
posed league constitution. Most of
the great speeches which Senator
Reed has delivered in the Senate at
this session have been entirely with
out preparation other than the
study goven to the impor-
tant questions involved.
Senator Reed stated his objections
TO the league plan as follows:
That control of the league from
the first inevitably will be in Euro
pean and Asiatic nations having
many interests in common and who
may have common antagonisnns
against us.
The British empire will. in all
probability. constitute the control
ling influence in the league.
That IL at any time England shall
lose control the Gcrmanic powers
will be likely to succeed to her pO-
sition of dominance.
That there is in the background
the menace of the world Bolshe-
vism.
That whoever controls the league
will control the world.
Sarcastic as to House.
Senator Reed refrained from any
criticism of President Wilson.
He referred sarcastically to Col. House
and to former President Taft. OF the
former, he said that perhaps later on
Col. House would let the Senate know
what the terms of the secret protocol
are, FOR his unofficial parsonage ap-
pears to be the principal representa-
tive of America except for the Prcsi-
dent himself"
The reading of Washington's Fare
we'll Address preceded Senator Reed $
speech. This. and the fact that it was
birthday, made the ad-
dress peculiarly fitting and appro-
pirate.
A statement made by Senator Pitt
man at the opening of the Senate pro-
ceedings that the Senate has nothing
TO do with what is going on in Paris
and should refrain from discussing
matters concerned with the peace set
tlement provoked sharp rebuke from
the Missouri Senator.
Senator Reed. in stating that the
league constitution would destroy the
Monroe Doctrine, added: "William II.
Taft. to the contrary notwithstand-
ing"
Il pause TO remark" he said, that
at time like this when we are being
told that the sun of the millennium
Is bursting full orbed above the hori-
zen and its gentle light is driving
out the monsters of Sclfishness. an
ger and war, it is sinEularly discon-
ccrting to find the chief apostle OF
the brotherhood of man losing his
and calling Senators names.
1t is ineXprrssly sad to find him
al abandoning his EOOd-naturcd ribaldTy
for the language of sarcasm. Refer
ring to his efforts in this sphere.
heard a gentleman recently remark
that the performance bore such a
of bowels to brains as to
suggest it's author. Far be it from me
TO echo this cruel sentiment. No one
can carry malice in his heart against
Sir John"
The concluding portion of Senator
Reeds speech provoked extraordinary
applause. After reviewing America :
being forced into the war by Ger
many. which believed we would not
fight, and perhaps could not fight
he said:
"Oh. sirs, that mistake will never
be made again. Wild woods grow
and waters run; they know that
America can and will fight. Never
again as long as we maintain our
pride of race will that mistake be
made.
They said we could not get ready
to fight. When this giant arose and
shook himself. when the boys from
the farm and the anvil and the forge
were called on they came, a glorious
tOlAtOul &c VI illhOillllftblt SOulS llt
went across the ocean. sometimes
imperfectly armed, but that made nc
difference. They may not have had
all the weapons they needed, but that
did not daunt their courage Their
cry was Take us to the trenches.
And the only desertions from the
American ranks were desertions of
men who left their camps that they
might serve in the bloody front-line
trenches and do their duty as they
saw it.
Americans Turn Tide.
How well they did it, The French
had been driven back; the English
had been driven back. Calamity they
had retreated. The English lion with
the bloody froth dripping from his
white fangs. facing the foe, yet be-
ing driven back; the French with gal
liant heroism carpeting the ground
with their dead; but still they were