The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-04
VIII SON MAKES APPEAL
TO VOTERS OF NATION
Whole World Awaiting Verdict of Election Next
Month"; President Declares Article len OF
Covenant Does Not Restrict Powers OF
Congress in Declaring War-Question
Settled in Referendum. ,:.

Washington, Oct. 3.-President
Wilson in his first campaign appeal
tonight, made directly to the people,
urged the Endorsement of the league
of nations issue at the election and
declared 'athe whole world will
wait for your verdict in November
as it would wait for an intimation of
what it's future is to be-"
The president characterized as
"absolutely false" assertions that
Article 10 of the league covenant
would make it possible for other ma
tions to lead the United States into
war. There was nothing in the cove
nant, he said, (which in the least
interferes with or impairs the right
of congress to declare war or not
declare war according to its own in
dependent judgment as our consti-
tuition provides"
"My fellow countryman," was the
presidents method of addressing his
communication to the people. 1t
contained no mention of presiden-
tial candidates by name but was
confined to a brief defense of Arti-
Gle 10 and an araignment of those
who, he declared, had "grossly mis-
led" the public with regard to the
treaty. '.,z .&.J ..
Display Gross Ignorance
The president said that those who
had spent their lives, as he had, Sin
familiarizing 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 at
tempt to invent an "Americanism'
which has no foundation whatever
in any of the authentic traditions of
the government"
The text of the appeal follows:
@'My Fellow Countrymen:
"The issues of the present cam
paign are of such tremendous i'm
portance and of such far reaching
significance for the influence of the
country and the. development of its
future relations, and I have neces-
sarily had so much to do with their
development that am sure you will
think it natural and proper that I
should address to you a few words
concerning them. Every one who
sincerely believes in government by
the people must rejoice at the
turn affairs have taken in regard
to this condition. This election is to
be a genuine national referendum.
The determination of a great policy
upon which the influence and au
thority 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 a sovereign
mandate to their representatives.
They are to instruct their own gov
ernment what they wish done.
Country's Honor At Stake.
"The chief question that is to put
70 you is, of course, this: Do you
want your country's honor vindica-
ted and the treaty of Versailles rati-
fled? Do you in particular approve
of the league of nations as organi-
zed and empowered in that treaty?
And do you wish to see the United
Sttaes play its responsible part in
it? You have been grossly misled
with regard to the proposed char
acter of the league of nations by
those who have assumed the serious
responsibilities of opposing it. They
have gone so far that those who
have spent their lives, as l have
spent my life, in familiarizing them
selves with the history and tradi-
lions and policies of the nation,
must stand amazed at the gross ig-i
norance and impudent audacity
which was led them to attempt to in
vent an 'Americanism' of their own, !
which has no foundation whatever in