Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-01-17
PRESIDENT WILSON'S
MESSAGE TO THE
JACKSON DAY DINERS
He Says: ''Let People Decide
on Treaty IN the Coming
Election"
Clear and Single Way to Deter
mine win Of POpuIace Is to
Make Pact Issue in Cam
paign.

Washington. President Wilson, In
his message to the Jackson Day diners
n washington Thursday night said
..the clear and single way" to deter
mine the will Of the American people
on the league Of nations was to make
it an issue at the next election.
Most OF the presidents message was
devoted to an expression Of his argu-
1nent Of why he considered it the duty
of the United States to join in the
league of nations covenant and why he
considered the war not really won IN
til it did. Another attempt to crush
the new nations of Europe would be
made, the president said, If the United
States held aloof.
The president again expressed his
attitude toward reservations much as
he did at his conference with the SEN
ate foreign relations committee in this
language:
'If the senate wishes to say what
the undoubted meaning of the treaty
IS / shall have no objection. There
can be no reasonable objection to in
terpretations accompanying the act of
ratification itself But when the
treaty is acted upon / must know
whether it means that we have rati-
fled ,or rejected it. We can not re-
write this treaty. We must take it
without changes which alter its mean
ing or leave it, and then, after the rest
OF the world has signed it, we must
face the unthinkable task of making
another and separate kind of treaty
with Germany"
The text Of the message follows
ut is with keenest regret that /
find that am to be deprived of the
pleasure and privilege Of joining you
and the other loyal democrats who are
to assemble tonight to celebrate jack
son Day and renew their vows of
fidelity to the great principles of our
party, the principles which must now
fulfill the hopes not only of our own
people but of the world.
eThe United States enjoyed the spir
itual leadership of the world until the
senate Of the United States failed to
ratify the treaty by which the bellig-
erent nations sought to effect the set
Elements for which Athey had fought
throughout the war. It is inconceiv-
& able that at this supreme crisis and
final turning point in the international
relations of the whole world, when the
results of the great war are by no
means determined and are still ques-
tionable and dependent upon events
which no man can foresee or count
upon, the United States should with
draw from the concert of progressive
and enlightened nations by which Ger
many was defeated and all similar
governments (if the world be so un-
happy as to contain any, warned Of
the certain consequences of any at
tempt of like iniquity, and yet this
is the effect of the course the senate
Of the United States has taken with
regard to the treaty of Versailles.
Old Stage Is Reset.
Germany is beaten, but we are
still at war with her, and the old
stage is reset for a repetition Of the
old plot It is now ready for the re-
sumption of the old offensive and de-
fensive alliances which made settled
peace impossible. It is now open
again to every sort of intrigue. The
old spies are free to resume their
former abominable activities. They
are again at liberty to make it impos-
sible for governments to be sure what
mischief is being worked among their
own people, what internal disorders
are being fomented. Without the cove
nant Of the leauge of nations there
ever to destroy the confidence of gov
ernments in each other and their va
hdity can not sbe questioned. None
of the objects we protested to be fight
ing for has been secured or can be
made certain of without the nations
ratification Of the treaty and it's en-
try into the covenant.
Wars End Not Yet.
@This nation entered the great wal
to vindicate its own rights and to pro
teet and preserve free government. l
went into the war to see it through t,
the end, and the end has not yet come
It went into the war to make an ent
OF militsrism, to furnish guarantees Il
weak nations and to make q just ant
lasting peace. It entered it with nobl
enthusiasm. Five Of the leading bel
hgeFents have accepted the treaty an,
Appropriation Asked.
Washington appropria
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