New-York tribune., 1920-10-28

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supposing that imperialistic schemes
ended with the defeat of Germany,
Or that Germany is the only nation
that entertained such schemes or
was moved by sinister ambitions and
long standing jealousies to attack
the very structure of civilization,
There are ether nations which arc
likely to be powerfully moved or
are already moved by commercial
lealousies, by the desire to dominate
and TO have their own way in poll
tics and in enterprise, and 1t is nee
essary TO check them anC to apprise
them that the world will be united
against them as it was against Ger
many ii they attempt any similar
thing
The mothers and sisters and
wives Of the country know the sac
rlicc Of war. They will feel that
We have misled them and compelled
them to make an entirely unneces-
Sary sacrifice of their beloved ones
{ we do not make it as certain as
il can he made that no similar sac
ridce viii be demanded Of mothers
and sisters and wives in the future.
Shis duty is so plain that 1T seems
10 me to constitute q primary de-
mand upon the conscience of every
one of us. 1t is inconceivablc to most
Of us that any men should have been
50 false or so heartless as to de-
clare that the women Of the coun-
try would again have to suffer the
intolerablc burden and prlvatIon Of
war if the League of Nations were
adopted
Article \ Specific Pledge
"The League of Nations is the we'll
considered effort OF the whole group
OF nations who were opposed to Ger
many to secure themselves and the
rest Of mankind against repetition
of the war. 1t will have back OF 1t the
watchfulness and material force OF
all these nations, and is such a guar
knty of q peaceful future as no we'll
Informed man can question who does
not doubt the whole spirit with
which the war was conducted against
Germany. The great moral influence
OF the United States VIII be abso-
lutelN thrown away II we 90 not
complete the task which our SOL
ders and sailors so heroically un-
Gertook to execute.
Cone thing ought to be said, and
said very clearly, about Article OF
the Covenant of the League of Ma.
tions. 1t is the specific pledge. OF
the members Of the league that they
will unite TO resist exactly the
things which Germany attempted, no
matter who attempts them IN the
future. 1t is as exact definition as
could be given in general terms Of
the outrage which Germany would
have committed if it could.
WorId Ssferuard World
germany violated the territorial
4nteqritv of her neighbors and
Aouted their political independ-
ence in order TO aggrandize herself,
and almost every war Of history has
originated in such designs. 1t is
significant that the nations Of the
world should have at last combined
to define the general cause of war
and to exercise such concert as may
be necessary to prevent such meth
DDS. Article X, therefore, is the
soecifc redemption Of the pledge
which the free governments Of the
world gave to their people when
they entered the war. They prom
ised their people not only that Ger
many would be prevented from car
rying out her plot, but that the
world would be safeguarded in the
lf4tlNt from SIDtl4dt NtSi = i4o.
I'VE have now 10 choose whether
we VIII make good or quit. We have
ioined issue, and the issue is be-
tween the spirit and purpose of the
United States and the spirit and
purpose of imperialism. no matter
where il shows itself. The spirit of
imperialism is absolutely opposed to
free government, to the safe life Of
free nations. to the development of
peaceful industry and to the com
pietion OF the righteous processes Of
civilization. It seems to me, and |
think it Will seem to you, that it is
our duty TO show the indomitable
will and irresistible jcsty of the
high purpose of the United States,
50 that the part we played in the
crowned with the achievement of
lasting peace.
No Other Possible Means
"No one who opposes the ratifca-
ton OF the Treaty Of Versailles and
the adoDtion Of the covenant of the
League Of Nations has proposed any
other adequate means Of bringing
about settled peace. There is no
other available or possible means,
ard this means is ready TO hand.
They have, on the contrary, tried 10
persuade you that the very pledge
contained in Article X, which is the
essential pledge Of the whole plan of
security, IS itself a threat of war.
Il is, on the contrary, an assurance
Of the concert of all the free peo-
pies Of the world in the future, as in
the recent past, TO see justice done
and humanity protected and vindi-
Gated. This is the true, the rear
Americanism. This is the role of
leadership and championship of the
right which the leaders of the Re
public intended that it should play
The so-calied Americanism which we
hear 50 much prating about now is
spurious and invented for party pur-
poses only.
This choice is the supreme choice
OF the present campaign. 1t is re
grettable that this choice should be
associated with a party contest As
compared with the choice OF course
OF action that now underlies every
other, the fate of parties is a mat
ter of Indifference Parties are
significant now in this contest only
because the voters must make up
their minds which OF the two parties
IS most likely to secure the indis-
pensablc result. The nation was
never called upon to make more
solemn determination than it must
now make. The whole future moral
force Of right in the world depends
upon the United States rather than
upon any other nation, and it would
he pltlful indeed II, after so many
great free peoples had entered tie
great LEAGUE we shOuld hold .lonf