The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-06-18
Sound, Forceful,
Logical Speech

Hon. Chas. M. Hay delivered a
most forcible and entertaining speech,
to a large crowd, at Flat River Sat
urday evening, of which the following
is resume:
The paramount issue Of this cam
paign is the greatest ever presented
in our time. The action of the Re-
publican Convention in surrendering
to Senator Johnson and thus placing
the party in a position of opposition
to the ratification of the Peace
Treaty, either with or without reser-
vations, presents the issue-League,
or no League-squarely to the Amer
lean people. All of the fine phrases
by which the Convention speaks Of fu-
ture International arrangements,
which may be made, amount to no.
thing. They are but the. cloak under
which they thrust the dagger to the
heart of the only League proposed or
possible. Let no one be deceived.
Within the Republican party the Bit
ter enders have won.
1t now becomes manifest to every
one what to close observers was ap-
parent all the while, namely, that the
Republican leaders have never favored
the ratification of the treaty at any
time or in any form. They have pre-
tended to be for the league proposed,
save for specific objections, only be-
cause they knew the sentiment of the
country so strongly demanded the
league that they could not afford
openly and expressly to oppose the
entire undertaking. They have, there
fore, until the platform announce
ment, sought to kill the League under
the pretense of perfecting it. They
have forsooth endeavored to kill a
great world organization, based upon
principles inherently American, un-
der the pretense of Americanizing the
treaty.
When the President submitted the
first draft proposed by the Paris Con-
ference, Republican leaders, suggest
ed some amendments, about four be-
ing deemed vital. The President Sc
cured the amendments suggested. Up
on submitting the final draft there
after, they insisted upon fourteen
reservations. Had the President ac-
ceded 70 these, it is now manifest
that they would have insisted upon
forty interpretations. Let it be re-
membered, all the while, that when
the Republican Senate chose the COM
mittee, whose function it was to con-
slider the proposed League of Nations
a majority of those named were
known to be opposed to any League OF
Nations whatsoever. Hence the res.
ervations proposed by the committee
came from men whose purpose it was
to kill the League. Now the mask il
torn off. They can pretend no longer
Their partisan malevolent purpose
stands revealed to the gaze of all the
world.
1t is now made clear that the strick
en- man, who fought to deaths dool
for this great world program, and whit
from his sick chamber with anxious
eyes has watched the fight go on since
he fell, has understood better thar
anyone else. He has realized wha
the purpose was; what the issue, the!
were determined to make. He knew
what the Republican leaders knew
that by their reservations they hat
killed the League. He was, therefore
unwilling to surrender. What he wa
willing to do, should be done now b,
united democracy; by those, indeed
of every party who realize that tn
peace of the world depends upon SOM
kind of organization to promote in
ternational cooperation and estab
lish international justice. +Af
The issue rendered we must accept
| stand for the ratifcation of tn
Peace Treaty, including the Leagu
of Nations covenant, either withou
reservations or with only such reser
vations as will not nullify the purpos
es of the covenant. / had hoped tina
no Democrat would see fit to rails
this issue within the party, but by tn
entry of Judge Henry s. Priest Of 81
Louis into the Senatorial race that is
sue has been rendered. He is agains
this or any other League of Nation: