Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-09

tN~~~~~-NON
for a repetition of the old plot. 1t is
now ready for the resumption of the old
offensive and defensive alliances which
made settled peace impossible 1t is now
open again to every sort of intrigue. The
old spies are free to resume their former
abominRbIa activities They are again
&c hbexty to make it impossible for gov
srnments to be sure what mischief is
being worked among their own people,
what internal disorders are being TO-
mented.
without the covenant of the league of
nations, there may DO as many secret
treaties rs ever to destroy the confidence
OF governments in each and their validity
can not be questioned. None OF the OBJ
3eets we PROPOSED 70 be lighting for has
been secured can be made certain of
without THE nations ratification of the
treaty and its entry into the covenant.
This nation entered the great war to
vindicate it's own rights and to protect
and preserve free government. 1t went
into the war to see it through to the end,
and the end has not yet come. 1t went
into the war to make an end Of militar-
ism, to furnish guarantees to weak ma
tiOns, and to make just and lasting
peace. 1t entered it with noble enthu-
siasms Five of the leading be1ligerents
have accepted the treaty and formal rati-
dcations will soon be exchanged. The
question is whether this country will en-
ter and enter whole hesrtedly. If it does
not do SO, the United States and Germany
will play lone hand in the world. The
maintenance of the peace of the world
and the effective execution of the treaty
depend upon the whole hearted participa-
tion of the United States I am not stat
ing 1t as a matter of power. The point
is that the United States is the only ma
ton which has sufficient moral force with
the rest Of the world to guarantee the
substitution of discussion for war.
EFT we keep out of this agreement, if
we do not give our guarantees, then an
other attempt will be made to crush the
new nations of Europe.
II do not believe that this is what the
people of this country wish or will be
satisfied with. Personally, 1 do pot ac-
cept the action of the senate of the
United States as the decision of the
nation.
PEOPLE OF NATION
WANT THE LEAGUE
II have asserted from the first that the
lover whelning majority of the people of
this country desire the ratification of the
treaty and my impression to that effect
has recently been confirmed by the I'M
mistakabIe evidences of public opinion
given during my visit to seventeen of
the states. 7 have endeavored to make
Il plain if the senate wishes to say what
the undoubted meaning of the league is,
I shall have no objections. There can
be no reasonable objection to interpre-
tations accompanying the act of ratifca-
ton itself. But when the treaty is acted
upon, 1 must know whether 1t means
that we have ratified or rejected it. We
can not rewrite this treaty. We must
take it without changes which alter It's
meaning, or leave it 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 no mere assertions with regard
TO the wish and opinion of the country
are credited.
III there is any doubt as to what the
people of the country think of this vital
matter, the clear and single way out is
TO submit 1t for determination at the
next election to the votes of the nation,
20 give the next election the form of
great and solemn referendum, a referen-
dunn as to the part the United States is
90 play in completing the settlements of
the war and in the prevention in the fu-
ture Of such Outrages as Germany at
tempted to perpetrate. We have no more
moral right to refuse now to take part
in the execution and administration Of
these settlements than we had to refuse
to tax. part in the fighting Of the last
few Veeks of the war which brought
victory and made 1t possible to dictate
to Germany what the settlement should
be. Our fidelity to our associates in the
war is ia question, and the whole future
of mankind 1t will be heartening to the
whole world to know the attitude and
purpose of the United States.
DEMOCRACY NOT
FINALLY INDICATED.
al spoke just now of the spiritual
leadership Of the United States, thinking
OF international affairs. But there is an
other spiritual leadership which is open
to us and which we can assume. The
world has been made safe for de-
mocracy, but democracy has not been
finally vindicated All sorts Of crimes
are being committed in its name, all
sorts Of preposterous perversions of its
doctrines and practices are being at
tempted. This, in my judgment, is to be
the great privilege Of the democracy of
the United States, to show taht 1t can
lead the way in the solution of the great
Z time, and lead. the way to a happy, set
tied order Of life, az well 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
acn be done in any other way to sweep
out Of existence the tyrannous and ar
bitrary forms of power which are now
incorporating under the name Of pop
ular government.
',Whenever we look back to Andrew
Jackson, we should draw fresh inspira-
ton from his character and example.
His mind grasped with such a splendid
defniteness and irmness the principle of
national authority and national action.
He was 80 indomitable in his purpose to
give reality to the principles of the gov
0rnment, that this is very fortunate
time to recall his career and to renew
our vows of faithfulpess to the principles
and the pure practices Of democracy. L
rejoice to join you in this renewal Of
faith and purpose. l hope that the whole
eycnIng may be of the happiest results
"a regards the fortunes Of our party and
the nation