Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-10-05
THE PRESIDENTS APPEAL.


o;a;tr and coeency of statement. he
manages to argue case m the 'h'e's
form Of stating it. He was never
more simple and convincing than IN
his appeal, to the American people to
vote. for the League of Nations Tor
the only means of, preserving: the
worlds peace, and for the compl.t'sh
Of the work, we entered upon when
We tool; ilpart in the Word W&r. J
Every particle, oF.tle .opposiron to
the Lesgue is partisan, manufactur-
ed for political effect after the Con-
:rressiosal election .twq years ago
raised hops, among the Republican
politicians of defeating5 the Presi-
dent. Before, that everybody }took j.
for granted that an association OF
nations to prevent repetition OF the
crime 81 1914 must follow the war
and would justify our. PARTICIPATION
in it. Tht two Republican ex-Pres'-
dents were conspicuously and actively
engaged in promoting such i comh!-
nation :. of nations, with power t"
coercc q recalcitrant, nation and to
prevent the beginning, Of the war.
Nobody doubted. that that was what
we went into the war for; Al the
opposition to the League has. been
worked up. forf. political purposes
since the armistice.
The President rightly says there
is one paramount question before the
American people: DO You want
your cenntry's. honor vindicated and
the treaty: of Versailles ratified? D"
you in particular approve of the
League Of Nations as organized and
empowered in that treaty? And ito
YOU wish to see the United States
play it's responsible part in 1t?
There cal, be no other League. Fhs
suggestion of Senator Harding that
he would negotiate 4 new treaty ana a
different association of nations Is
childish. A separate treaty OF course
ye can have. but there cannot be an
other League The 10 nations that
have joined the existing League are
not going to join our little sldc-shoW
Theses~a#e$ no. ~aIaia aes, lpe,n 4srs- to;s
it except soviet Russia and Mexico.
We, do rot believe that any American
would like to see us in that company.
and we do not believe that those two
would join US in any sort of leagu'.
For us it is the covenant written N
Raris or it is isolation from all othc"
nations. the one civilized power in
tie world that will not try to prevent
var. Nothing could be more mortify-
isg. nothing. could be more disgrace
fol. than such 4 course.
SeAt the peacr conference.-the United
States was looked up 10 sbys aA tie
world. And now. rs th% result Of
tso years of bitter, malignant, part
san fighting against the President.
observers tell US that Europe is pay
ing little attention to- us and cares
LITTLE what. we do. But that only
nifans that Europe IS prepared to go
OPP after we have "welchcd." Thought
fei Europeans say frankly that the
League OF Nations cannot do any
thing like the work it. was created
fas unless We join it.
x.Thcre is nothing in the covenant.
the President tells us. (which in the
least intcrfcres with or impairs the
lSeht Of Congress to declare " ar or
MT declare war according to its own
Independent Judgment. as our Con-
sskution provides So says William
Howard Taft, Republican ex-Prcsi-'
dent, and so say all the nations that
hsge Joined the League. for every
one of them cares as mach for its
independence as we care for ours. and
if the covenant would impair our
sovereignty it would not less impair
the sovereignty Of England, France.
Italy, Japan and the aTssi,