Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-02-27
MISSOURI vALLEY 1oYAs T4I1RsDA AY FEBRUARY

this new magic, that all the peoples
of, Europe are buoyed up and con-
fident in the spirit OF hope, because
they believe that we are at the eve OF
new age in the world when nations
VIII understand one another, when
nations will support one another in
i every just cause when nations WiN
unite every moral and every physical
strength to see that the right shall
prevail. ,5 z.
If America were at this junction
to fail the world, what, would come of
1T? j do not mean any disrespect to
lany other great people when L say
that America is the hope of the world
and if she does not Justify that hope
the results are unthinkable. Men will
be thrown back upon the bitterness of
disappointment not only, hut the bit
terness Of despair. All nations will
be set up as hostile camps agsfin. the
men at the peace conference will 60
home with their heads upon tlieir
breasts knowing. that they have failed
for theySwere bislden not to come
home from there until they did some
thing more than sign treaty of
peace.
ss":Sunpose9 we sign ! the treaty of
peace, and that it is the most salts
factory treaty of peace that the con-
i fqsing elements of the modern world
would afford. and go home and think
about our labors. We will know that
we have left written upon the historic.
liable at Versailles, upon which Yer
gennes and enjamin Franklin wrote
their names, nothing but modern
Scrap OF paper; no nations united to
defend it, no great forces combined to
make 1t good, no assurance given to
the dOwn-trodden and fearful people
of the world that they shall be safe.
ANY man who thinks that America
will take part in giving the world any
such rebuff and disappointment us
that does not know; America.
4 II invite him, to test the sentiments
|bf the nation. We set this UP to
make men free and I'VE did not con-
f,ne our conception and purpose TO
America. And now we will make men
free. II wefdid not do that the FAM.
lof America would be gone and, all her
powers would be dissipated. She then
would have to keep her power for
i|seem so dear to some minds that have
no sweep beyond the nearest horizon.
III a, should welcome no sweeter chnl-
i lenge THAN that. i have fighting blood
in me. and it is sometimes Il delight
Ito let it have scope, but if it is a .cllal-
4 i lsAgs on this occasion it. will be an in
Sldulgehce. i$ is
Think of the picture. think of the
utter blackneSs that would fall on the
,E.world! =, America has failed! America
made a little essay at generosity and
then Withdrew. America said: We
|aTe your, friends but 1T was only for
to-day, not for, tomorrow. America
Ifsaid.; Here, Is our power to. yindicate
fright, and then the next day said
light take care Of itself and we.
vii sta9e care s0f, ourselves America
ssaad q. y,,ssNS Ssss4sat up a. light to lead men
long tlie paths of liberty, but we
Have slo.Sered Ill. it; rs intended only to
.II1fghf-ouf nAth I'VE set up great
3diiideff H,eEtN. and then we said:
i Liberty is a thing that you must win
for yourself. DO not call upon us, and
think of the world that we would
fle&Ne. Do-yO realize how many new
inatiohs are going to be set up in the
|presence of old and powerful nations
lin Europe and left, if left by us, with
TOUT a disinterested friend?
DO you, believe in the Polish
cause as I do? Are you going to set
|uD Poland, immature, inexperienced,
las yet unorganized, and leave her
with a circle of armies around her?
Do you believe in the aspirations Of
the Czecho-Slovaks and the Jugo-
.Slavs as I do? Do you know how
many powers would be quick to
sIIppunce upon them IL there were not
tthe guarantee of the world behind
their liberty?
Have YOU thought of the suffering
Iof Armenia? You poured out your
money to help succor the Armenians
latter they suffered; now set your
strength so that they shall never suf-
I1er again.
The arrangements OF. the present
Ipeace cannot stand a generation un-
less they are guaranteed by United
forces of the civilized world And if
we do not guarantee, them, can you
not see the picture? Your hearts have
INSTRUCTED yolr where the burden Of
this war fell. 1t did not fall upon the
national treasures, it did not fall
upon the instruments of administra-
3,tiOn, it did not fall upon the resources
Iof the nations. It fell upon the vic
Itims. homes everywhere, where wo-
men We're tOiling in hope that their
lmen would come back.
4 when think of the homes upon
which dull despair would settle were
this hope disappointed, should wish
for my part never to have had Ameri-
lea play any part Whatever in this at
tempt to emancipate the world. But I
4 talk as If there We're any question. Il
have no more doubt of the verdict of
America in this matter than / have
doubt of the blood that is in me.
And so, my fellow citizens. have
come back to report progress, and I
lido not believe that the progress is go
ling to stop short of the goal. The ma
4 tionssi of tile world have set their
heads now to do a great thing, and
4 they are not going to slacken their
purpose.
4 .There is a great deal of harmony
4 itcs be. got. out of common knowledge.
There is a great deallof sympathy to
! he got out OF living in the same at
Z lirnosphefe, and except for the differ
1, t,,Gllces of language, which puzzles my
4 american ear very sadly, could have
Hbelieyed was at home in France or
lin Italy or in England when was on
Y the streets. when l was in the pres
epce of the crowds when I was in
{ halls where men were gathered to-
.gether, irrespective of class.
4 s-It.i is q great comfort for one thing.
tn