The Washington herald., 1919-03-04
WANT PEOPLES
VOICE IN LEAGUE
Farmers, in Demands on
President, Urge Popula- :
ton as Vote Basis.

Inc farmers OF the nation, yester-
day, told President Wilson what they
thought of the proposed league
of nations. when they were admitted
to an audience at the White House.
In general they are unequivocally in
favor of a league to prevent wars,
but they are not wholly satisfied with
the proposed constitution.
Ten delegates, representing FIVE or
ganizations of farmers, waited upon
the President at noon. ]. n. Titte-
more. ]. Weller Long. f. L. MCGOWAN
and w. n. Burlingame appeared for
the American Society of Equity;
Grant III. Siocum for the National
Federation of Cleaners; DR.. T. c.
Atkeson and A. NJ. Loomis for the
National Grange, Patrons of Hus-
bandry; Arthur lie Sueur for the Ma
tional Non-Partisan League, and Geo
p. Hanson and Benjamin c. Marsh
for the Farmers National Council.
They asked the President to give
their program of international recon-
struction his earnest consideration,
and to present 1t to the Peace Con-
ference, with view to having the
recommendations contained in 1t that
are not already incorporated into the
constitution of the league
made a part of it.
Pledge Fnrmers' support.
I'VE pledge to you the support of
the organized farmers Of America for
a league of nations" their spokesman
told the President. We feel that such
a league must be in effect a league
of the peoples of the world; a league
of friendship based upon the princi-
pies enumerated in your fourteen
points. Unless such a league can be
established this war will have been
fought in vain.
The league must rely for its
sanction. not upon force, but upon
the appeal which its justness and
fairness makes to the peoples of the
associated nations. 1t must not at
tempt to create an indefinite super
state, nor leave a twilight zone as
to the powers residing in the SOW
ereign member states which of it.
self would tend to create dissen-
sion.
we believe the constitution of
the league of nations should specif-
caIly provide for the retention by
member states of the right to de-
termine their own policy as to i'm
fdliOD. we DtIltNt SutH sell
determination is of the essence of
national sovereignty.
I'VE also hold that the constitu-
tion of the league of nations should
provide that any nation may with
draw from the league upon giving
a notice of a year, or such time as
may be agreed to, upon an affirma-
tive referendum OF the people of
ru.t chnttld
define in exact terms the liabilities
of the mandatory state.
Membership in the league Of pa .
tions should not be condIt-aned upon
the acceptance on the vo.e of, the
lea que of obligations to serve as a
"The farmers organizations. rep
resented in the farmers national
council, recommend as a means Of
protecting countries the creation
under the league of nations of an
international Investment board, an
international board of trade, an in
ternational commerce commission
and an international institute of ag-
riculture, in addition to the inter-
national labor bureau already pro-
vided for.
President Noncommital.
ITO assure Democratic control
we believe that the principle OF
proportional representation should
be provided in the constitution so
that the member states of the
league shall vote not only as a
unit, but in proportion to their re-
spective populations. Such pro-
vision would safeguard the admis-
sion of smaller states to the league
upon application"
The President made a non-com-
initial response. Sacrifices would
have to be made to secure peace,
he continued, and not one nation
but all would share and share equal
ly in these sacrifices