Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-07
WILSON APPEALS
TO THE PEOPLE
Urges Voters to Support League
Declares Article X Cannot
Force War on U. S. or Impair
War Making Power of Congress

Washington, Oct. 3.-President Wilson,
IN MS first campaign appeal tonight
made directly to the people urged the en-
dorsement of the League of Nations is
sue at the election and declared "Tha
whole world will walt for your verdict
In November as 1t would wait for an in
timation of what its future Is to be-
The President characterized as "abso-
luteiy false assertions that article ten
of the league covenant would make 1t pos
siblc for other nations to lead the United
states into war. There was nothing in the
covenant, he said, which in the least
interfered with or impa!rs the right of
Congress to declare war or not declare
war according to its own independent
Judgment, as our Constitution provides
MY Fellow Countrymen" was the
Presidents method addressing his COM
muncation to the people. II contained no
mention Of presidential candidates by
name, but was confined to brief defense
of article ten, and criticism of those, whd
he declared had grossly msled" the pub.
lie with regard to the treaty.
The President said that those who had
spent their lives. as he had "in familiar
izing themselves with the history and
traditions and policies Of the nation, must
hNohn "ihuScu at the eTOSS lgnOTdnCe anu
impudent audacity which has led them to
attempt to invent an 'Americanism,' which
has no foundation whatever in any OF
the authentic traditions of the govern
ment"
! TEXT OF PRESIDENTS APPEAL
My fellow countrymen:
THE issues of the present campaign
are Of such tremendous Importance and
of guCh far-rpaphipp for he
influence of the country and the develop
ment of its future relations. and 1 have
necessarily had so much to do with their
development, that l am sure you will
think 1t natural and proper that I should
address to you a few words concerning
them. Everyone who sincerely believes
in government by the people must rejoice
at the turn affairs have taken in regard
to this campaign. This election is to be
n genuine national referendum. Tho
determination of a great policy upon
which the influence and authority OF the
United States in the world must depend
, is not to be left to groups of politicians
OF either party. but is to be referred to
the people themselves for sovereign
mandate to their representatives. They
are to instruct their own government
what they wish done.
| THE chief question that is put to you
is. of course, this: DO you want your
country's honor indicated and the treaty
of Versailles ratified? Do you in par
ticular approve of the League of Nations
as organized and empowered in that
treaty? And do you wish to see tho
! United States play it's responsible part
in it?' You have been grossly misled
with regard to the treaty, and particu-
larly with regard to the proposed char
a NJ thn nf af hy
who have assumed the serious response
bility of opposing it. They have gone 50
far that those who have spent their
lives. as / have spent my life. in familiar
izing themselves with the history and
traditions and policies of the nation. must
stand amazed at the gross ignorance and
impudent audacity which has led them to
attempt to invent an 'Americanism' OF
their own. which has no foundation what
ever in any of the authentic traditions
of the government.
] "Americanism as they conceive it re.
verses the whole process of the last few
tragical years 1t would substitute
America for Prussia in the policy OF
isolation and defiant segregation. Thei,
conception of the dignity of the nation
and its interest is that we should stand
apart and watch for opportunities to
advance our own interests, involve our
selves in no responsibility for thu
maintenance. of the right in the world OF
for the continued vindlcation of any OF
the things for which we entered the war
to fight, The conception of the great
creators of the government was absolute-
~ opposite to this. They thought OF
America as the light of the world as
created to lead the world in the assertion
Of the rights of peoples and the rights OF
free nations: as destined to set n re-
sponsible example to all the world Of
what free government is and can do for
the maintenance of right standards both
national and international. This light tho
opponents of the league would quench.
They would relegate the United States
to a subordinate role in the affairs of the
} world.
"Why should we be afraid OF response
bilities which we are qualified to sus-
tain and which the whole Of our history
has constituted a promise to the world
: we would sustain? This Is the most mo-
mentous issue that has ever been pre-
scented to the people of the United States,
and do not doubt that the hope OF the
t whole world will be verified by an ABB
solute assertion by the voters Of the coun-
try of the determination of the United
, States to live up to all the great expecta-
tons which they created by entering the
. war and enabling the other great nations
| of the world to bring 1t to a victorious con-
clusion, to the confusion of Prussianism
and everything that arises out of Prus-
s!anism. Surely we shall not fail to keep
the promise sealed in the death and sacri-
flee of our incompatible soldiers, sailors
and marines who await our verdict be-
meath the sod of France.
Those who do not care to tell you
> the truth about the League of Nations
tell you that article ten of the cove
nant of the League would make 1t pos
sible for other nations to lead US into
war, whether we willed II by our own
, independent Judgment or not. This ID
, absolutely false. There is nothing in the
, covenant which in the least interferes
} with or impairs the right of Congress
to declare war or not declare war ac-
cording to its own independent judg-
ment as our constitution provides,
!. Those who drew the covenant Of the
\ league were careful that 1t should con-
, tain nothing which interfered with or
impaired the constitutional arrange
ments Of any OF the great nations
which are to constitute its members.
They would have been amazed and In
: dignant at the things that are now
being ignorantly said about this great
and sincere document.
I 1.-THE whole world Will walt for your
= xardict In Nnypmbar would wait