The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-20
ROOT DISCUSSES
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
FOLLOWS PARTY IN BLAMING
PREsIDENT-oFFERS HIS So
LUTON. SPEAKER SETS
FORTH OBJECTIONS TO COVE
NANT AS FRAMED IN FIVE
PARAGRAPHS

NANT AS FRAMED in FIVE
PARAGRAPHS
New York, Oct. 19.-Elihu Root
in his only address on the league OF
nations during the presidential cam
paign tonight declared that the
treaty Of peace\with Germany would
have been ratified, and America
would have been a member Of the
1eapue-if President Wilson chad
been willing" I
"Mr. Wilson, however, was not
willing. He insisted upon the treaty
absolutely unchanged,"i Mr.. Root
said, adding later on in his speech:
"1 do not question Mr.. wilson's
beliefs that the disposition OF the
treaty for which he was contendlng
on May s1,1919, was just and far;
but. without disrespect, do ques-
tion the complete control of ab-
stract justice in the processes BY
which the four men who dictated
those treaties, which undertook to
make over eastern Europe, reached
their conclusions.
81 have an impression that there
was the accommodation OF con-
. flicting interests the giving OF some
thing here to get something there;
the yielding of something in order
I. to avoid losing others, the shading
Of justice by expediency which had
characterized such conferenees since
history began. I have strong I'M
preston that some of their conciu-
sions were mistaken. = r.
aAnd I think it most objection
able that the American people shall
enter into solemn and positive
Z agreement \ to guarantee and main
tain by force of arms for all time
the dispositions Of territory and
sovereignty which these four men
made in the year 1919. " "
g.. ArticlesTen Again ....,
ssThat is part Of what Article
10 undertakes to do. 1t is an alliance
to enforce perpetually through the
operations of the league the de-
cisions of Mr.. Wilson and his asso-
ciates in the year 1919. 1t is a
throwback to the old diseredited al
liances of the past" o..
Mr., Root declared that 'we shall
promote the peace of the world" by
electing Senator Harding, Republi-
can candidate for president whose
i stand on the league he said, was
unchanged from the time he voted
for, ratification of the peace treaty
and league of nations with the SEN
ate reservations. The election OF
. Governor Cox, Democratic presiden-
tial nominee he said, meant the ef-
fort to have the United States join
the league of nations without
change, as it was brought back from
Europe by President Wilson.
After "restating the situation. of
the league, Mr.. Root declared that
it was we'll understood in 1919 and
els we'll understood now, that the
other parties to the treaty would
have been content to accept" the
senate reservations, adding:
"Several Europeans nations al
ready have given notice of half
dozen changes in the covenant which
they propose to urge at meeting of
the assembly Of the league next
month. The only reason why the
changes necessary to meet Amed-
can objection have not already been
con sidered is that Mr.. Wilson simply
would not negotiate for them"
Objections OF Root
The principal objections to the
league, Mr.. Root said, "may be
roughly classified as follows:
"First. Objection to the general
defensive alliance with all members
of the league established by Article
10.