The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-13
Lodges Speech.

WkSUtEGTON. Aug. l2.-pescr1plhE
tho LcaEr" cf Nations ns "d"lormed
,xucrirncnt upon nahl" purpose. soma
tor Iudgr. of massachusetts. chairman
of tho Foreign Relations Committee ana
Rcpuhliran leader of tho senate" declared
in n senate speech today that there were
features of the l"aEu" covenant which
"as an American" he never could sup
port.
Creating not league OF peace but nh
alliance embracing many provisions Tor
war" the covenant in its present FORM
he asserted. would kill the Monroe Doc
trjnc. nullify any possibility OF with
drawal from membership. impair the
sovereign power Of deciding domestic
questions, and plunge the United states
into every controversy and conflict on
the face Of the globe"
LET US beware" he said. how we
palter with our independence. we nave
not reached the great position from
| which we were able TO come down INTO
/ the field Of battle to save the world
from tyranny. by being guided by others
Our vast power has all been built up
and gathered together by ourselves alone.
| we forced our way upward from TIE
! days Of the Revolution. through a world
| hostile and always Indifferent. We owe
no debt to anyone except TO fra1l'Sc IN
our revolution and those policicsJ and
| those rights on which our powef has
been founded should never be l'F'sened
! or weakened 1t will be no SCI Nice 10
the world TO do so and it will of fntoler-
| able injury to the United States. I'VE will
do our share. We arc ready and anxious
TO help in all ways to preserve the
worlds peace. But We can doSit best by
not Gripping ourselves.
Il am as anxious as any human being
can bc to have the United States render
ever possible service to tht civilization
and the peace of mankind. but am GER
tain We can do it best by not putting
| ourselves in leading Strings or subject
ing our policies and our Sovereignty TO
other nations. I will go4 as far as any
ono in world service, bot the first step
TO world service is the maintenance OF
the United States. You may call me
selfish if you will, conservative or re-
dictionary. but an American I was born.
an American l have sremained all my
life.
II can never be anything else but an
American. and l mast think of the
! United States first. and when think Of
tho United States first in an arrange
mcnt like this l am thinking Of what IS
best for the world. for II the United
States fails the best hopes Of mankind
fail with it. l have never had but one
allegiancc---I cannot divide 1t now.
THE United States is the worlds best
hope. but If you fetter her in the in
tcrests and quarTels of other nations If
you tangle her in the intrigucs Of Eu-
rope. you will destroy her power for
good and cndanger her very existence
I'VE are told that we shall break the
heart of the world IL We do not take
this league just as ii stands. I fear
hat the hearts Of the vast majority Of
mankind would beat on strongly and
steadily and without any Quickening II
the league were TO perish altogcthe. II
it should be effectively and benefcicntly
changed the people who would lie awake
in sorrow for q single night could BIO
easily gathered in one not very large
room, but those, who would draw long
breath Of relief would reach TO millions.
| Ideals have been thrust upon US as
an argument for the league until the
healthy mind which rejects cant revolts
! from them. Are ideals confined to this
dcformcd experiment upon a noble pur-
posc tainted as IL is with bargains and
tied 10 a peace treaty which might have
been disposed OF long ago to the great
benefit OF the world If it had not been
compelled TO carry this rider on its
back,
NO doubt many excellent and patri-
otto people see a coming fulhllment Of
noble ideals in the words League for
peace We all respect and share these
aspirations and desires. but some Of US
see no hope. but rather defeat, for them
in this murky covenant. For we, too.
have our ideals. even If we differ from
those who have tried to establish a
monopoly of idealism. Our first ideal
is our country. We would have our
country strong to resist a peril from the
west, as she has flung back the German
menace from the east We would not
have our politics distracted and embit-
tered by the dissensions Of other lands
$50 far as the question Of isolation
goes, 1t Is impossible to isolate the
United States. We may set aside all
this empty talk about isolation. Nobody
expects to isolate the United States or
TO mako 1t q hermit nation. which Is a
sheer absurdity. But there is a wide
difference between taking a suitable
part and bearing a due responsibility
in world affairs. and plunging the United
States into every controversy and con-
fict on the face Of the globe"
Likening the league to the ill-famed
Holy Alliance. Mr.. Lodge quoted the
covenant provision giving the assembly
| dulHOTlly 10 veal dI AS llctlIHSS Win
any matter affecting the peace Of the
world" and continued:
There Is no such sweeping or far
reaching provision as that in the treaty
,, Of Paris. and yet able men developed
from that treaty the Holy, Alliance.
which for IS years was an gated
curse to the world. England broke from
Holy Alliance because English states
men saw that 1t was intended to turn
the alliance-and this league is an alli-
ance-into means of REFRESHING inter-
nal revolutions or Instructions.
mo revolutionary movement. no in
ternal conflict Of any magnitude can
: fail to affect the peace Of the world.
ANY matter affecting the peace Of the
world is very broad statement which
could be made to justify almost any in
reference on the part OF the league
with the internal affairs OF other coun-
tries.
: IN Article 10 tho United States is
. bound on the appeal Of any member
of the league not only to respect but to
preserve its independence and its boun-
, , diaries, and that pledge, IL We give it,,
must be fulfilled. There Is to me no
distinction whatever in a treaty between
what some persons are pleased to call
legal and moral obligations. treaty
rests and must rest, except where II is
imposed under duress and securities and
hostages arc taken for its fulfilment,
upon moral obligations. The pathway
Of dishonor is always open. But what
ever the United States agrees TO, by that
nho