Evening star., 1920-01-09
President Wilson's Letter
To Democratic Committee

My Dear Mr.. Chairman:
1t is with keeneSt regret that l
find that 1 am to be deprived of
the pleasure and privilege of join
ing you and the other loyal demo-
Gratis who are to assemble tonight
to celebrate Jackson day and re-
new their vows of fidelity to the
great principles Of our party, the
principles which must now fulfill
the hopes not. only of our own
people but OF the world.
The United States enjoyed the
spiritual leadership OF the world
until the Senate Of the United
by which the belligerent- nations
sought to effect the settlements
for which they had fought
throughout the war.
Withdrawal Inconceivable.
1t is inconceivable that at this
supreme crisis and final turning
point in the international rela-
tions of the whole world. when
the results of the great war are
by no means determined and are
still questionable and dependent
upon events which no man cam
foresee or count upon. the United
concert of progressive and en-
1ightened nations by which Ger
many was defeated and all SIM
liar governments .if the world be
so unhappy as to contain any
warned of the certain conse-
quences of any attempt of like
iniquity, and vet that is the eff
feet of the course the Senate of
the United States has taken with
regard to the treaty of Versailles,
Germany is beaten. but we are
still at war with. her, and the old
stage is reset for a repetition OF
the old plot. 1t is now ready for
the resumption Of the old offensive
and defensive alliances which
made settled peace impossible. 1t
is now open again to every sort
of intrigue.
The old spies are free to resume
their former abonlinable activities.
They are again at liberty to make
it impossible for governments to
be sure what mischief is being
worked among their own people.
what internal disorders are being
fom Without the covenant
of the league of nations there may
be as many secret treaties as ever,
ernments in each other. and their
validity cannot be questioned.
None of the objects we professed
to be fighting for has been secured
or can be made certain Of with
out this nations ratification of the
treaty and it's entry into the COW
enant. This nation entered tho
great war to vindicate it's own
rights and to protect and preserve
free government 1t went into
the war to see it through to the
end, and the end has not yet come.
1t went into the war to make an
end Of militarism, to furnish guar
anteeS to weak nations and to
make just and lasting peace. 1t
entered it with noble enthusiasms.
Five of the leading belligerents
NAL ratif1cations will soon be sX-
changed. The question is whether
this country will enter and enter
wholehearted1y. II il does not do
SO, the United States and Germany
will play a lone hand in the world.
The maintenance Of the peace OF
the world and the effective execu-
tfon Of the treaty depend upon the
wholehearted participation Of the
United States. l am not stating it
as matter Of power. The point is
that the United states is the only
nation which has sufficient moral
force with the rest Of the world
to guarantee the substitution of
discussion for war. If We keep
out OF tQiS agreement, IL we 90
not give our guarantees, then an
other attempt will be made to
crush the new nations of Europe.
Rejects Senate's Action.
do not believe that this is what
the people OF this country wish or
will be satisfied with. Personally, I
do not accept the action Of the Sen
ate OF the United States as the de-
cision Of the nation. have asserted
from the first that the overwhelming
majority Of the people Of this country
desire the ratification Of the treaty.
and my impression to that effect has
recently been confirmed by the un-
mistakable evidences Of public opinion
given during my visit to seventeen
Of the states. I have endeavored to
make It plain that il the Senate
wishes to say what the undoubted
meaning Of the league is, shall have
no objection. There can be no rea-
sonable objection to interpretations
accompanying the act Of ratification
itself. But when the treaty is acted
upon, I must know whether 1t means
that we have ratified or rejected it.
We cannot rewrite this treaty. We
must take it without changes which
alter its meaning, or leave it, and
then, after the rest Of the world has