The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1920-01-13
U. 5. Had Spiritual Leadership Of World
Till Senate Failed on Treaty, Wilson Says

sion Tor war.
"If we keep out Of this agreement
if we do not give our guarantees
then another attempt will be mad,
to crush the new nations Of Europe.
~ do not believe that this is whar
the people of this country wish OF
will be satisfied with. Personally,
do not accept the action Of the Sen.
ate of the United States as the de-
cision of the nation.
II have asserted from the first thai
the overwhelming majority of the
people Of this country desire the rat
ification of the treaty and NV imnres-
sion to that effect, has recently beer
confirmed by the unmistakable evil
dences of public opinion given dur
ing my visit to seventeen of these
states. l have endeavored to make il
plain that if the Senate wishes ia
say what the undoubtea meaning OF
the League is, I shall have no otiec-
ton.
"There can be no roc sonable OBJ
lection to interpretations accom-
panying the act of ratification itself.
But when the treaty is acted upon,
must know whether it means that
we hive ratified it. We cannot re-
write this treaty.
eve must take it without chany,;s
which, after its meaning, We leave
t and then, after the rest Of the
world has signed it, we must face
the unthinkable task of making an
other and separate kind of treaty
with Germany.
"But n omere assertions with re-
gard to the wish and opinion of the
country are credited. If there is any
doubt as to what the people of the
country think on this vital matter,
the clear and single way out is to
submit it for determination at the
next election to the voters of the ma
tioIi, 10 give the the next election ii the
form of a great and solemn referen-
dunn as to the part the United States
is to play in compelling the settle
ments of the war and in the preven-
ton in the future of suih outrages as
Germany attempted to to perpetrate.
We have no more moral right to re-
fuse now to take part in the execu-
ton and administration of these set
Elements than we had to refuse to
take part in the fighting of the last
few weeks of the war which brought
victory and made is possible to die
tate to Germany what the settle
ments should be.
"Our fidelity to our assistants in
the war is in question, and the whole
future of mankind. 1t will be heart
ening to the whole world to know
the attitude and purpose of the peo-
pie of the United States.
1T spoke just now Of the spiritual
leadership of the United States,
thinking of international affairs.
But there is another spiritual leader
ship which is open to us and which
we can assume. The world has been
made for democracy, but democracy
has not been finally indicated. All
sorts of crimes are being committed
in its name, all sorts Of preposterous
perversions of its doctrines and prac-
tees are being attempted. This, in
my judgment, is to be the great privi-
lege of the Democracy of the United
States, to show that it can lead the
way in the solution Of the great social
and industrial problems of our time,
and lead the way to happy settled
order of life as we'll as to political
liberty. The program for this achieve
ment we must attempt to formulate.
and in carrying it out we shall do
more than can be done in any other
way to sweep out of existence the
tyrannous and arbitrary forms of
power which are now masquerading
under the name of popular govern