The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-10-07

betrayal of my countrymen will
never consent To those who desire
to incur the hazard of entrusting any
of the powers Of the republic to the
direction Of a 'sllper-goVernment. or,
liz you prefer, to a council of foreign
powers, whether the obligation to
follow the councils direction be one
! of legal @or of moral compulsion,
j frankly say: Vote the democratic
ticket, and pray God to protect you
against the consequences OF your
folly.
We have been told that we must
ratify the proposed covenant IN or
der to become a member OF the,
League, and that. if we do not, we
shall be obliged to stand with hat IN
hand and sue for admission hereafter.
He who presents se:h humiliating
picture is singularly blind to the
facts. We stand almost alone among
the great nations in our disinterested
relation to the problems of the worid.
Because of this, the world is ready
to recognize our moral leadership.
Because we are not vitality concerned
lin the conflicting interests OF Europe,
because we are independent, because
we are able to approach the solution
of the questions which continually
threaten the peace Of Europe as an
unprejudiced umpire rather than as
an interested party, the world will be
glad to have US formulate the plan,
and point the way. Occupying such a.
position, we must be careful not to
destroy or weaken it by surrendering
our present freedom of determination
and action to the compelling or direct
ing will Of others
Have Suffered Enough.
Surely, we have suffered enough
from the automrzGic assumption OF
a personal wisdom, which will neither
take counsel nor learn from expert
Ience. To formulate plan OF interna-
tional cooperation, which Will con-
tribute to the security and peace OF
the world without sacrificing or dan
serously diluting our power to direct
our own actions, is task Of no small
difficulty I should not be fit to hold
the high Office of president II ! did
not frankly say that it is task which
II have no intention of undertaking
alone. There are many and conflict
ing opinions among the people and
among the members of the senate up
on the subject. These opinions must
be reconciied and harmonized If we
are to have any international associa-
ton for peace at all.
| shall not risk embarrassing the
final solution of Problem so mo-
mentuous by undertaking to lay down
in advance specific details or plans. l
am in favor of our doing our full part
in the rehabilitation of the world and
in securing humanity against the hor-
ror and tragedy of future war.
Would Meet Every Obligation.
am in favor of America meeting
her every righteous obligation in this
respect 2ut shall never present to
the senate any compact by which We
shall in any degree surrender or leave
in doubt the sovereign power of the
United States to determine without
the compulsion or constraint of any
extra constitutional body. how and
when and to what extent our duty
in that respect shall be discharged.
As soon as possible after my election
I shall advise with the best minds in
the United States and especially
shall consult in advance with the sem
ate. with whom, by the terms of the
constitution, / shall indeed be bound
to counsel and without whose consent
no such international association can
be formed. shall do this to the end
that we shall have an association of
nations for the promotion of inter-
national peace. but one which shall
so definitely safeguard our sovereign
ty and recognize our ultimate and I'M
mortgaged freedom of action that it
will have back of it, not a divided and
distracted sentiment, but the united