Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-11

be guilty Of bad faith to their reople
whom they induced to make the infin-
lite sacrifices of the war by the pledge
that they would he fighting to redeem
the world from the old order of force
and aggression.
They will be acting also in bad faith tn
the opinion Of the world at large to which
they appealed for support in concerted
stand against the aggressions and pre-
tensions of Germany. If we're to re-
jet article ten or SO TO weaken II as TO
take its full force out of it, II would mark !
us as designing to return to the old world
Of jealous rivalry and Observation-Disclosures
from which our gallant soldiers have res
cued us, and would leave us without any
vision or now conception of justice and
peace. We would have learned no lesson
from the war but gained only the regret
that 1t had involved US in it's maelstrom
of suffering. If America has awakened,
as the rest of the world has. to q vision
of a new day in which the mistakes OF
the past are to be corrected, II Will well
come the opportunity to share tho re-
sponsibities Of article ten.
ARTICLE X THE WHOLE THING
1t must not he forgotten senator. that
this article constitutes n renunciation Of
wrong ambition on the part of powerful
nations with whom we were associated
in the war. It Is by no means certain that
without this article any such renuncia-
ton will take place. Mitaristic ambi-
lions and imperialistic policies are by no
means dead even in the counsels of the
nations whom we most trust and with
whom we most desire to be associated in
the tasks of peace. Throughout the ses
sons of the conference in Paris. it was
evident that a mlitaristic party, under
the most influential leadership, was
seeking to gain ascendancy in the cour-
sells of France. They were defea ted then,
but are in control now. The chief argyll
ments advanced In Paris i'm support Of
the Italian claims on the Adriatic were
strategic arguments. that is to say mil
tary arguments. which had at their back
the thought of naval supremacy in that
sea For my own part. am as intoerant
of imperiaistic designs the part OF
other nations as of such designs On
the part of Germany.
CHOICE BETWEEN TWO IDEALS
Tho choice is between two ideals. on
the one hand. the ideal of democracy.
which represents the rights of free
peoples everywhere to govern them
selves, and on the other hand, the
ideal of imperialism which seeks to
dominate by force and unjust power.
an ideal which is by no means dead
and which is earnestly held IN manv
quarters still. Every imperialistic in
fluence in Europe was hostile to the
embodiment of article Y in the coven-
ant of the League of Nations and its
defeat now would mark the complete
contamination of their efforts to
! nullify the treaty. I hold the doctrine
of article Y to be the essence Of
| Anericapistn We cannot repudiata n
| or weaken it without at the same time
repudiating our own principles
The imperialist wants no League ot
Nations, but If, in response to ths
universal cry of the masses every
where there is to be one he is inter-
| ested to secure one suited to his own
purposes, on that will permit him to
| continue the historic game OF pawna
and peoples-the Juggling of prov.
inces the old balances of power and
| the inevitable wars attendant upon
| these things. The reservation proposed
| would perpetuate the old order Does
anyone really want to see the old
game played again? Can anyone really
venture to take part in reviving the old
| order? The enemies of League Of
| Nations have by every true instinct
centered their efforts against article
y, for it is undoubtedly the foundation
| of the whole structure. 1t is the hui.
| wark, and the only bulwark of the
rising democracy of the world against
the forces Of imperialism and reaction.
! Either we should enter the league fear.
lessly accepting the responsibility and
not fearing the role OF leadership which
| we now enjoy, contributing our efforts
towards establishing just and perms
| nent peace, or we should retire as grace.
| fully as possible from the great concert
| of powers by which the world was saved
! For my own part. T am not willing to
trust to the counsel of diplomats the
| working out of any salvation of ths
| world from the things which II has suf.
| fered
| A GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY
| | believe that when the full slgrlh.
| canoe of this great question has been
generally apprehended, obstacles will seem
insignificant before the opportunity. =
great and glorious opportunity. to CON
| tribute our overwhelming moral and
material force to the establishment OF
| an International regime in which our own
ideals of justice and right may be MAIDS
10 prevail and the nations of the world
he allowed a peaceful development under
| conditions of order and safety hitherto
| impossible.
|
: given great deal of thought to the whols
matter of reservations proposed in con-
nection with the ratification of the treaty,
! and particularly that portion of the
| treaty which contains the covenant of
the League of Nations. and ] have been
struck by the fact that practically every
| so-called reservation was in effect a
rather sweeping notification of the terms
OF the treaty itself. hear of reserva-
tionists and mild reservatonists. but
| cannot understand the difference between
a nulifier and a mild nullifier. Our re-
| sponsibilty as a nation in this turning
| point OF history is an overwhelming one.
| and if ] have tho opportunity l would
beg everyone concerned to consider the
| matter In the light of what it is possible
to accomplish for humanity rather than
| in the light of special national interests.
! II have been truly informed concerns
| ing the desire of some of your colleagues
| TO know my views In this matter I would
be very glad if you should show this
| letter to them
Cordially and sincerely yours.
| WOODROW WILSON.
| Hon. Gilbert Nj. Hitchcock,