The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-21
JOHNSON ENDS
SPEAKING TOUR
AGAINST LEAGUE
Makes Three Speeches Yes
terday at Minneapolis and
ST. Paul-HOuses Are
Crowded
BY Associated Press

Minneapolis, Mimi, September -20.-With
three addresses in the Twin Cities today.
Senator Johnson, of California, concluded
his speaking trip through the middle west
opposing the ratification of the league OF
nations covenant in its present form.
At noon he addressed a large gathering
at the Metropolitan Opera House in st.
Paul and at p. IN. he spoke to the Lin
coin club in Minneapolis.
Tonight the climax of strenuous dav
of speech making was reached when he
addressed a mass meeting which packed
the armory in Minneapolis. Many were
turned away.
Speaking here tonight in opposition TO
the league of nations covenant, Senator
Johnson SAID:
Il feel very keenly that our nation
stands today at the cross roads of its
destiny. .
You recall that before we knew any
thing about the covenant of the league
of nations gentlemen were going about
from city TO city, from state to state
preaching of its virtues and telling or
the marvellous things that were going to
happen as a result of the great, unknown
document. And most of us, indeed, well
coined anything that might render less
likely wars in the future; but we have
watched the proceedings abroad with
growing establishment. We saw one
by one the great principles to which we
had given unqualified Endorsement and
approval abandoned and surrendered.
There are some places that are paved
with good intentions. Paris is not one OF
them.
FIRST TO VOTE WAR
Il cast my first vote in the United
States Senate for the direct declaration
war
In the early discussion of the war.
after it's declaration, there was a spell
on me, just as I imagine every Ameri
can experienced, a desire to do some
thing superhuman, to devote roy ut
most energies to the countrys prob
lens, that it might perform it's great
part and do it's duty in the vast con-
flict confronting us. I remember in
those days sitting in my seat and
seeing Balfour of England come from
the side door, and mount the rostrum
of the senate. For the first time-so
tender is the senate of its precedents-
for the first time since Lafayette stood
there, Balfour was the only foreign
diplomat to address that body. I re-
member him telling how he and his
people were fighting the war for the
same things we were, for democracy
of the world; heard Viviania of France
I didn't understand him. but the must
cal elouence of his words was apparent;
he told us in like altruistic tenor how
he and his countrymen were struggling
that democracy might be made safe;
I heard Ishii of Japan. and Udine of
Italy talk from this same rostrum
MY heart throbbed and my eyes
strained during those fateful moments,
while they were talking to us in IDEAL
istic phrases; and during the Yery
time they were talking to US their
pockets were bullying with secret
treaties made before we had entered
the war. treaties which disposed of
the peoples and territories of the earth,
and which partitioned the earths sur
face; but they never mentioned them to
senator or congressman. or to the
President of the secretary of state,
never lisped a syllable of their exist
ence and the President told us he never
heard of those secret treaties until he
reached Paris.
SHOULD BE INFORMED
It wouldn't stop to characterize this
sort of duplicity and double dealing,