The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-02-27
JOHNSON TELLS
MIN0T WHY HE
OPPOSES PACT
Californian Declares Peace Trea-
ty Would Make America
Inferior Nation
STANDS FOR NATIONALISM
Expresses Belief that United
States Should Stand on
Own Constitution
STANDS FOR NATIONALISM

OWn CONSTITUTION
Minot. n. D., Feb. Ex-senator
Hiram W. Johnson of California ad-
| dressing large audience here last
night, went on record as irrevocably
opposed to the surrender OF Amerl>
! cans indvidualism through such an
alliance as proposed in the peace
| treaty, which he declared would give
other nations six times the re-
presentation that is offered the Unit
er States.
Senator Hiram Johnson said i'll
! part:
STATES POSITION
Make no mistake ABOUT my posi-
! ton. am against the present COW
enant OF the league OF nations. be
lieve in our traditional policy
friendship and anity with all ma
tions, entangling alliances with none
| would not, Of course, isolate our
country, and it never has been isoI-
ated The lurid painting Of advo'
Gates of the league of the terrible
consequences of isolation has been
Wnolly unjustiiiab,e. We never have
been isolated, commercially, tnan-
ciaiiy, or otherwise. and we never
will De isolated from the rest of the
world. We have played our high part
in the past, and, Just as We have done
III the past, we will 40 in thefuture.
Whenever there comes to us the
cry OF hllmanitzation, we will re-
spOnd, but | insist that the people
OF the United States represented by
the congress, acting under the con-
stituti0n, shall be the ones to deter
mne when we respond and how we
respond.
LEAVES FUTURE TO PCSTERITY
If the time ever comes again when
it is necessary for us to enter a worli
conflict. Wen not hesitate to do our
duty just as we have done in the
past. But entry into that conflict
| should be decided by the generation
of the time, and not today by us
| for those who are to follow u.s.
decline 10 Subscribe 10 a document
which would send the youth of Amer
lea into the four quarters OF the
globe at the behest or the direction
or command of foreign powers.
IN SUPERIOR POSITION
81 could never vote for league
or confederation which put my coun
try in position inferior or subOrdi-
nate to any other country. | refuse
to give any nation in any agreement
or pact six times the representation
and six times the voting power of
the. United States. ! will not yield
even inferentally any part OF the
! sovereignty OF the American people.
nor place American treasure OF
American blood at the possible dis
! position Of Europe or Asia l will
not guarantee with our might or
man power the territorial limits Of
the British and Japanese empires, nor
| by our decree condemn subject peO-
! pies to be forever subject
'Today we hear much Of Ameri-
canism. Men of all sorts and all
kinds are prating of their Amercican
ism. and politicians Of all shades,
are grasping for power 10y shouting
Americanism. The meanings Of the
term are as various as the individu.
ais who utter it.
SUPPORTS CONSTITUTION
81 believe that the best expression
of Americanism is in the constitu-
ton of the United States and that
any departure from that constitution
in the direction Of internationalism
is violation of all that we ought to
mean by Americanism. The Amer
icanism in which I believe and which
| preach would maintain America as
the arbiter of her own destiny. 1t
would preserve this republic in the
| form in which the fathers created
it. modified only as the expressed
| will of the American people shall
| direct. would hold the republic
inviolate against the wtles Of Europ-
can and Asatic diplomacy and would
refuse to make the republic sub
ordinate to any junta OF diplomats
sitting in Geneva or elsewhere. 1t
| would hold as still unlawful the dis
| patch of American manhood to the
frozen wilds of Siberia or to any
other foreign cline in quarrels which
our congress has not declared. in
| which our republic has no interest.
| and concerning which our people
! have no information. My brand of
Americanism regards our Siberian en-
| terprise as a typical, abhorrent, con-
| crete illustration Of what the league
! of nations will mean to America
! down the generations, and Of what
! lies behind all the smooth diplomatic
phrases, all the fatuous. pretended
idealism which describes compact
that binds up definitely to go to
war as treaty that will keep us
I out of war. My Americanism would
have Us ever alive to humanitys cry
! or civilizations call, quick to res
pond to suffering and ready to resent
wrong; that would view with sym
! pathy the struggles of peoples for
freedom or self-determination but an
AmericaniSm by which we would
! live our own lives in our own way,
under our own institutions. preserv-
ing in all its purity and radiance the
precious heritage which has been be-
Gueathed to us, and passing it on to
those who follow with added glory"