Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-10-04

with regard TO the proposed character
of the League of Nations, by those who
have assumed the serious responsibility
of opposing it. They have gone so far
that those who have spent their lives, as
I have spent my life. in famiIarizing
themselves with the history and tradi-
tions and policies of the nation, must
stand amazed at the gross ignorance and
impudent audacity which has led them
to attempt to invent an 'Americanism'
Of their own, which has no foundation
whatever in any of the authentic ira
ditions Of the government
ttAmericansm as they conceive it, re-
verses the whole process OF the last few
tragical years It would substitute
America for Prussia in the policy of iso-
lation and defiant segregation.
Have Wrong Conception
Their conception OF the dignity or
the nation and its interests Is that we
should stand apart end watch for op-
nortunities TO advance asar own interests,
involve ourselves In To responsibility
for the maintenance of the right In the
world or for the continued vindication
Of any Of the things for which we en-
tered the war to fight.
THE conception Of the great creators
of the government was absolutely oppe
site 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 destined 70 set responsible
example to all the world of what free
government is and can do for the main
tenance Of right standards. both national
and international. This light the OPP
roncnts of the league would queneh.
They would relegate the United States
10 subordinate role i'll the affairs of
the world
Hope of Whole World
why should We be afraid OF respon-
Sihilties which we are qualified to sus-
tain. and which the whole Of our history
has constituted promise 70 the world
we would sustain This is the most
momentous issue that has ever been pre-
sented TO the people of the United States
and | do not doubt that the hope of the
whole world will be verified by an ab-
solute assertion by the voters of the
country Of the determination of the
United States TO live up to all the great
expectations which they created BY en-
teriGg the war and enabling the other
great nations Of the world to bring it 10
q victorious conclusion, TO the confusion
of Prussianlsm and everything that
arises ont Of Prussianism. Surely wa
shall not fail to keep the promise sealed
in the death and sacrifice of our incom-
parable soldiers, sailors and marines who
await our verdict beneath the sod of
France.
World Awaits Verdict
'fThose who do not care to tell you
the truth about the League of Nations
tell you that Article \ Of the covenant
of the league would make 1t possible for
other nations to lead US into war,
whether We willed it by our own indie
pendent Judgment or not. This is alb
solutely 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 accord
ins TO its own independent judgment,
as our constitution provides. Those who
drew the covenant of the league were
careful that it should contain nothing
which interfered with or impaired the
arrangements of any Of the
great nations which are to constitute its
members They would have been amazed
and indignant at the things that are now
being ignorantly said about this great
and sincere document
THE whole world will await vour YER
dict III November. as it would wait for an
intimation of what its future is to be.
WOODROW WILSON"