The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-08
REvISIONS TO
LEAGUE PLAN
UNNECESSARY
SAYS WILSON
Sponsors Of Withdrawal
Amendment Want to Sit
Near Door With Hand on
Knob, He Declares.
MUST SIGN ALL TERMS
(By Associated Press)

(by Associated FreSSl
OMAHA, Neb., Sept. S-Discussing
for the first time during his speaking
tour proposed reservations to the
league of nations, President Wilson re-
piled in an address here today to ar
guments advanced by those who favor
reservations:
"a reservation" said the president,
'is an assent with a big but We
agree-'but.'
The proposed reservation providing
for unconditional withdrawal from
membership, said the president, meant
that it's sponsors wanted to "sit near
the door with their hand on the knob"
and If they saw anything they didn't
like ito scuttle and run"
The league proviso that interna-
tional obligations must be fulfilled be-
fore withdrawal never would with
strain the United States, he said, be-
cause this nation always would live
up to its provisions.
Are Late Joiners."
Those who wanted reservation to
Article X, Mr.. Wilson continued. sim
ply didn't want to come in now, but
wanted to be late joiners."
Any reservation regarding the Mon
roe doctrine, he added. was unneces-
sary because the doctrine has been
swallowed, hook, line and sinker. by
the peace conference and had been
authenticated by the big powers Of
the world for the first time.
So far as reservations about domes-
tic questions were concerned, he de-
clared it would be a work of super
erogation.
I'VE didn't ask Germanys consent
about the meaning Of any one of those
terms when we were In Paris" he
said.
I'VE told them what they meant,
and said, Sign here Does any pat
riotic American want that method
changed?"
There were cries of NO! No." from
the crowd.
Need German Consent.
If reservations were put in, Mr.. Will
son told them all that the senate had
written in would have to go back for
the consent of Germany. He added
that there were indications that those
on the other side of the water are
l.
been.
The only way the Shantung provi-
sion could be bettered, Mr.. Wilson de-
clared, would be to go to war with
Japan, England and France. He told
the crowd the nation could not sign
all but part of a treaty"
I'VE cannot rewrite this treaty"
said he. I'VE must take it or leave it ="
He said he believed the treaty should
be accepted soon, but added:
But no man can tell how long il
will take the United States senate to
do anything"
New Labor Rights.
Prompt acceptance of the peace
treaty so that uncertainty in labor
conditions throughout the world may
be cleared up, was urged by Presi-
dent Wilson. The international labor
organization to be set up under the
treaty. he said would give to labor a
new bill of rights.
Mr.. Wilson said he was happy to ap
peal for acceptance of the treaty. not
as the Representative of a party, bu,
as the representative of the whole
people, saying he believed the people
had been led TO think there were only
four or five clauses in the peace treaty
a bulky volume containing the treaty
text. Those who picked little flaws
in it, he declared, had no conception
of the majesty Of the document
Eeveryone who had read the treaty
declared the president agreed that Il
contained "a complete settlement o
the matter that led to this war" anc
that it contained the machinery BY
which they shall stay settled.
Declaring the league would include
all the great peoples except Germany
the president said that Germany woul(
be admitted after "a period OF proba
ton" He referred to charges that thu
treaty was too harsh, and said it pro
vided only that Germany pay what sh,
was able.
Might Enter with Germany.
She had committed criminal act
he said. and must suffer and pay
Confidence that the United State
would enter the league at its forma
ton was expressed by Mr. Wilson
who said the only alternative woulC
be to stay out and then come in late
along with Germany.
Emphasizing the arbitration feat
ures of the league he said that in cas-
these processes failed the result woult
not be war, but an economic boycott
and isolation under which the strong
est nation in Europe could not stan'
for six months, after that, he predict
ed, they will have no stomach TO
war"
Quoting Article X of the league o
the covenant, Mr.. Wilson said anyon
who understands the English languag
must admit that when it said tn
league could advise, it meant advise
and not compel He characterized tn
league as the only possible guarant
against war" and said he would fee
recreant to those who fought the wa
IL he did not secure its adoption
1t was not an absolute" guaranty
he added, because there was no absc
lutte guaranty against human passion
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