Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-28

eOA PS0OO 00W Se0 M
nations and make the world itself
at last free"
Following this message. the con-
gress by resolution, passed April 6.
1917. recognized the state Of war.
went before congress and set forth his
famous Fourteen Points. Tho four
teenth point. which Is practically
identical in language with the pro-
visions Of Article x Of the covenant,
provided that
"a general association Of nat!vAs
u be formed under specific
covenants for the purpose Of At
fording mutual guarantees Of po-
litical Independence and terri-
torial integrity to great and small
states alike" 4
Senator Lodge himself. before the
c~xigencies of politics forced him to
take the other side. said that al at
tempt to make a separate peace would
brand US with everlasting dishonor''
and that the intent Of the congress
and the intent of the president, was
that there could be'no peace until we
could create a situation where no such
war as this would recur."
Former President Roosevelt. on
OAy 40, AV4os 00Aus
"Unless we stand by all our
Allies who have stood by US. we
shall have failed in making the
liberty Of well-behaved, civilized
peoples secure and we shall have
shown that our announcement
about making the world safe for
democracy was an empty boast"
On November 4, 1918, the armistice
was agreed to and It vas concluded
upon the basis Of the fourteen points
set forth in the address of President
Wilson delivered to congress on Janu-
airy 8, 1913, and the principles subse-
quently enunciated by him. At no
while this history was in the making,
was one responsible American voice
raised in protest.
Thus, before We entered the war,
we made the pledge; during the war
we restated the pledge; and when the
armistice was signed, all Of the ma
tons. ourselves included, renewed tho
pledge; and it was upon the faith of
these promises that Germany laid
civilized nations of the earth have
now united in a covenant which con-
~stitutes the redemption II tnat pledge.
We alone have thus far failed to keep
our word. Others may break faith;
the senate of the United States may
break faith; the Republican party
may break faith: but neither Presi-
dent Wilson o the Democratic par
ty will break faith.
/ The Fundamental Purpose.
In this hemisphere, h mere dec.
the attempt of any foreign power tc
set foot OF American soil would be
unfriendly act, has served to preserve
"the territorial integrity inc the pc.
litical independence" Of the nations OF
Central n South America. The
treaty pledges all of the signatories tc
make this doctrine effective every.
where. 1t is the Monroe Doctrine OF
the world.
The purpose of the league is to give
notice that if any nation raises Its
menactins hand and seeks to cross the
line into any other country, the forces
of civilization will be aroused to sup
press the common enemy of peace
Therein lies the security of small ma.
tions and the safety of the world.
Every war between nations that has
ever been fought began in attempt to
seize foreign territory or to invade pc.
litical independence. If, in 1914. Ger.
many had known that in the event OF
hostilities Great Britain would have
entered the war; that France would
go in; that Italy would so in; that
Japan would go in; and that the
United States would go in-there
would have been no .
Objections to the Treaty.
The opponents of the treaty cry out
"Shall we send our boys abroad to set
tie a political quarrel in the Bal
kans?" Immediately, the unthinking
applaud and the orator records a mo-
mentary triumph. Have we forgotten
that that is precisely what America
has already done? Have we forgot
lion men to France, spent more than
twenty billions of dollars and sacri-
feed nearly a hundred thousand lives
to settle a Balkan dispute?
There was a controversy between
Serbia Inc Austria. Territorial ques-
tions. political rights and boundary
lines were involved. The Crown
Prince of the House of Austria was
assas sinated. A little fame Of war
licked up into the powder house oil
Europe, and in a moment. the con-
tinent was in flames. 1t took all the
power Of civilization to put out ting
conf1agration. How idle to inquire
whether we wish to send our boys to
settle political disputes in the Bal
ksns!
1t is extraordinary that men should
waste our time and vex our patlense
by suggesting the fear that we may be
forced into future wars while forget.
ting entirely that America was forced
into this greatest of all wars. Nc
League of Nations existed when we