The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-03-04
HIRAM JOHNSON LAMBASTS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
California Senator Speaking in MinOt
Declared Himself Against State
Socialism

candidate on the republican ticket, APP
peared at the high school auditorium
in Minot last Friday night and spoke
before crowd of nearly $500 people,
many people coming in from the
country and nearby towns.
II want to extend my grateful ac-
acknowledgements Of the hospitality
shown me by the people of North
Dakota" he said. 81 was told by a
number of estimable gentlemen not to
come to this state. l am sorry that
l could not agree with the distingu-
ished gentlemen. I believe the right
exists. in any people to express their
preference as to public officers. l
come recognizing one master-the
people themselves. / am not a So
cialist-I don't believe in Socialism
/ don't believe in the socializing of
industry. Nobody can make me stay
out of your state. The best way to
get me to come in is to tell me to stay
out.
"Since l came into North Dakota,
I've heard more varieties of all kinds
of politics, than I've heard in all the
rest of the states combined. I've ceas-
ed asking questions about politics in
North Dakota.
"We've just emerged from a great
conflict which has disarranged our
domestic life and disturbed our way
of thinking. There was among US
one man who had the vision to see and
the courage to follow that vision. If
he We're with US today, there would be
no other candidate for president than
Theo. Roosevelt.
1--WE forgot much of our bill of
rights during the war. You and
centralized the power in one man,
creating an autocracy and giving that
man greater power than any other
ruler in the whole world. We must
remove that power. am not speak
ing in hostility to the administration
but to the kind of system that ought
not to obtain in peace We witnessed
an extravaganza that no nation but
the richest in the world could stand
but this must cease. We must prac-
tice the strictest economy in the fut-
ure. -
"Behind this stalks the dread spec
tire of mounting cost of living. It's
easy to say that the cause is due to
imitation and the increased cost Of pro-
duction, but whenever you engage in a
mad adventure in Europe at Europe $
call. that instant you increase the cost
of living at home.
Our tax system today is a pure
makeshift OF the war. When the war
first started, we did not dare to tax
the people who profitted by the war
When you permit the great big bust
ness of 1.-The country to escape it's just
taxation, yop add just that much
more to the small business mans bur.
den. The system must be changed
to distribute the burden.
az regard. any man who breaches
class strife as one who will DO harm
to his state or nation. / believe the
great bulk of American business is
honest, but there is a small class that
believes it is right to exploit all OF
US. I'd deal with this class like I'd
deal with the man with the bomb.
1T is so often said that no longe,
can the United, States occupy her
position of isolation. 1t is not so
We have never been isolated. The
Atlantic and the Pacific gave US what
isolation we may have had, but Meth
er Mr.. Wilson or the League of Ma
tions can dry UP the oceans. The
American people will determine when
we are going to act and how we are
going to act on the League of Nations
"We are asked to join our rich
forces with the bankrupt nations OF
Europe. The president said the
League will enable us to stick oul
nose into Europe's business. Yes
and the 80 nations of Europe would
be permitted to stick their noses into
our business. An ex-president Of the
United States whom all respect and
none follow, went about the United
States telling what wonderful thing
the League of Nations is before any
one knew anything about it. came
near belonging to the League to en-
force Peace. Every normal person
hates war.
according to Article 10 Of the
League of Nations, we undertake to
preserve the territorial integrity
among every nation in the world. 1t
binds YOU and your resources to every
nation in the world. The people have
right to act for themselves as to
whether country wishes to enter a
conflict of other nations. The Amer
lean people were treated with gross
contempt for months during the secret
peace conference.
s II wouldn't send single Ameri-
can boy to Europe to preserve a
boundary line in Servia or Rumania
ut has been said that the ~. S.
Senate talks too much and does too
little, but in this the Senate has stood
for you and your liberty"
The Senator said that England had
come out of the war with 100000 adj
ditional square miles Of territory.
France got back Alsace Lorraine which
she had coming. Italy got additional
territory and Japan got Shantung
with 10000, 900 people. II object to
your boys and mine guaranteeing that
territory" rs !,
"I've heard of men placing them
selves at the mercy Of their creditors,
but never before in the hands OF their
debtors, he continued. /"We have
loaned Europe ten billion dollars. He
said that Lloyd George had taken six
votes and very generously gave us
one. II congratulate him on his as
80 - 7Dn-;o II hoo a1uya VIC hQon