The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-10-04
WILSON PLEADS
 FOR THE LEAGUE
(Continued from Page one)

tConunued rom Page One1
 -~ice and of such far-reaching signih- canoe for the influence of the country and the development of its future re- lat1ons, and l have necessarily had so much to do with their development, that I am sure you will think it nat ural and proper that I should address to you a few words concerning them. Every one who sincerely believes in government by the people must re- joice at the turn affairs have taken in regard to this campaign. This cleo ton is to be a genuine national refer endum. The determination of a great policy upon which the influence and authority of the United States in the world must depend is not to be left togroups of politicians of either party, put is to be referred to the people themselves for sovereign mandate to their representatives. They are to in struct their own government what they wish done.
 The chief question that is put to you is. of course, this: Do you want your country's honor vindicated and the treaty of Versailles ratified? Do you in particular approve of the League of Nations as organized and empowered in that treaty. And do you wish to see the United States play its responsible part in it? You have been grossly misled with regard to the , treaty, and particularly with regard to the proposed character of the League of Nations, by those who have as- suned the serious responsibility of op- posing it. They have gone so far that those who have spent their lives, as have spent my life. in familiarizing themselves with the history and tradi- uons and policies of the nation, must stand amazed at the gross ignorance and impudent audacity which has led them to attempt to invent an 'Ameri- canism' of their own which has no foundation whatever in any of the authentic traditions of the govern ment-
 Americanism as they conceive it reverses the whole process of the last few tragical years. It would substitute America for Prussia in the policy of isolation. Their conception of the dignity of the nation and it's interest is that we should stand apart and watch for opportunities to advance our own interests, involve ourselves in no responsibility for the maintenance Of the right in the world or for the continued vindication of any of the things for which we entered the war to fight. The conception of the great creators of the government was abso- lutely opposite to this. They thought of America as the light of the world, as created to lead the world in the assertion of the rights of peoples and the rights of free nations; as des- tined to set a responsible example to all the world of what free governm ent
  right standards, both national and in ternational. This light the opponents of the league would quench. They would relegate the United States to a subordinate role in the affairs of the world.
 Why should we be afraid of re- responsibilities which we are qualified to sustain. and which the whole of our history has constituted a promise to the world we would sustain? This is the most momentouS issue that has ever been presented to the people of the United tates. and I do not doubt that the hope of the whole world will be verified by an absolute assertion by the voters of the country of the de- termination of the United States to live up to all the great expecta tions which they created by entering the war and enabling the other great na- tions of the world to bring it to victorious conclusion of PruSSian- ism and everything that arises out out of Prussianism. Surely we sealed in the death and sacrifice of ! our incom parable soldiers, sailors and | maTines who await our verdict be- | meath the sod of France.
 Those who do not care to tell you | the absolute truth about the League of | Nations tell you that Article x of the | covenant of the league would make | it possible for other nations to lead us into war, whether we willled it by | our own independent judgment or not | This is absolutely false. There is nothing in the covenant which in the least interferes with or impairs the right of Congress to declare war or not declare war, according to it's own independent Judgment, our consti- tuition provides.
 Those who drew the covenant of the league were careful that it should