The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-21
WILSON is AN OBSTACLE
GREAT OBSTRUCTIONISTTO
ENTERING LEAGUE
TAFT DECLARES SELF
Differs From President In His
RadiaaI Attitude On the
Covenant


by the presence of former President
William H. Taft, who stopped on
here a half hour between trains while
enroute from Rochester, to Webster
City, Ia, where he will speak tonight
on the League Of Nations reserva.
tions. Since his former visit to Man.
kato, Mr.. Taft has grown VlsiDly old
er and his mustache has taken on
the shades of winter, but not bis dis
position, which is as SUNNY as ever,
and his laugh as pleasant. Several
of the businessmen who had greeted
Mr.. Taft on his former visit here
were at the depot to greet him this
morning. The former ex-president
conyersed pleasantly with these gen.
tlemen, and said that he had never
forgotten Mankato, which stood out
in his memory among all OF the towns
he had visited. :,
Il differ utterly from the radical
attitude of President Wilson In that
unless he can secure the approval OF
Article X of the League of Nations
he does not wish the league. This
position makes him the greatest OBJ
structionist we have today to our en-
tering the league, and / can only hope
that he will be succeeded by a presi-
dent who takes reasonable view,
and if so, we will have the league
after Wilson's time," said Mr.. Taft
in an interview given to The Free
Press this morning.
Taft Changed His Mind.
Continuing Mr.. Taft said: Il want
to state that while l was ORIGINALLY
for the league as it was because-I did
not think there was any danger in
theprovisions fthe league by which
we might be bound under obligations
to some foreign country, but this
soon became evident, especially
among the republican senators where
this sentiment was very strong.
There was a feeling that article ten
might involve us in foreign entangle-
ments. Even if Article X were left
out of the league there still remains
ninety percent of the leagues most
valuable provisions for the promotion
of peace and the avoidance of war;"
Three features of it remain unim-
paired. One is the common limitation
of armament and thus the competi-
ton IN the making of armament,
which brought on the war, and would
cause another war if continued"
THE second is the provision for
the settlement Of differences peace
ably through tribunals and the en-
forcemcnt of those settlements, and
the abstaination from war by uni
versal boycott"
Provisions For Open Diplomacy.
1.-THE third principal which remains
unimpaired is the provision for open
diplomacy, that is that all questions
shall be discussed in public, and that
there shall be no secret treaties or
agreements of any kind, and that no
| f,ao fxy 81, o1 hn &c
corded in the Secretariate Of the lea
que. These three great principals il
carried out will be the greatest step
toward permanent peace in recorded
history Therefore am for the League
of Nations with reservations, because
it is impossible to secure it in any
other way. 1 differ utterly from the
radical attitude of President Wilson
in that unless he can secure the ap-
proval of Article X of the League of
Nations he does not wish the league.
obstructionist of today to our enter
ing the league, and / can only hone
that he will be succeeded by presi-
dent who will take a reasonable view
of it an diff so we will have the league
after Wilson's time" said Mr.. Taft in
bringing his interview to close.
One Woman Greets Mr.. Taft.
The only lady at the depot to greet
former President Taft was Mrs. H. A.
Patterson. AS Mr.. Taft grasped the
hand of the lady, a broad smile
spread over his countenance, and he
said. 81 suppose when the time
comes you will cast your vote?"
Il certainly will as soon as you
men permit it," replied Mrs. Patter-
son.
"And then I take it that you will
vote the republican ticket" siad Mr..
Taft.
81 will vote for the best man." an
swered Mrs. Patterson.
ooh. that is the new order of things
is it?" said Mr.. Taft with a hearty
laugh, well, don't stay at home, be
sure to go to the polls and vote any
way" said the ex-president.
In statement to The Free Press,
Mr., Taft said that yesterday as the
guests of the Doctors Mayo he had an
excellent opportunity to see the
splendid work carried on at Rochest-
er hospitals. He stated that he is
now preparing newspaper article
for an eastern publication on the
work being done at the Mayo hospi-
tai.
Wendell w. Mischler, Mr.. Taft's
private secretary, who accompanied
him to Mankato on the former visit
OF the ex-president, is still acting in
the same capacity.
WILL DO PROBING LATER.