Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-09-15

course, superior to legal obligation
and of a greater binding force
"What, then, becomes Of the argu-
ment that Congress, not the President,
In this instance at any rate, might
keep us out of war; Technically, OF
course, IT could do so. Morally, with
equal certainty. 1t could not do so nor
would 1t ever do so. The American
people would never permit q repudia-
ton of a debt of honor.
"Am / not right, my countrymen,
In saying that we needed only the
outbreak of war between Poland and
Russia to make us realize at least
one of the things which, in the words
of Secretary Lansing, we would have
been let In for, but for the restrain
ing hand of the senate, and TO fetcn
home to us the danger of commit
ting our country In advance to causes
that we know not Of?
Not Our Purpose.
Zone can have no quarrel with those
who have convinced themselves that
our underlying purpose in entering the
great conflict was to create league
of nations. The fact remains, how
ever, that no such intent was officially
acclaimed, no allusion, nor even a sug-
gestion to that effect appeared In the
Joint resolution of Congress which de-
cIared the existence of a state OF war
between this country and Germany.
For myself / left no room for doubt
of the motives which led me to cast
my vote in favor Of that resolution.
Ii so happened that ! made the con-
Guiding speech upon the war resolu-
ton, from my place In the senate, on
the night of April 4, 1917, These were
my own words at that time:
81 want II known TO the people OF
nv state and TO the nation that i am
voting for war tonight for the main
tenance of just American rights, which
Is the first essential to the preserva-
ton of the soul of this republic
~ vote for this joint resolution TO
make war, not war thrust upon US,
II / could choose the language Of the
resolution, but war declared In re-
Spouse TO affronts; a war that will
at least put a soul into our American
life; war not for the cause OF the
allies OF Europe; war not for France,
beautiful as the sentiment may be In
reviving at least our gratitude TO the
French people; not precisely war for
civilization, worthy and inspiring as
that would be; but war that speaks
for the majesty Of a people property
governed, who finally are brought 70
the crucial test where they are re
solved to get together and wage a con-
fiict for the maintenance OF their
L. H. ~Fnr, 80 he
covenant inherited from their fathers
"We have given to the world the
spectacle OF a great nation that could
make war without selfish intent We
unsheathed the sword some eighteen
years ago for the first time In the his
tory of the world, In the name Of hui
mainly, and we gave proof TO the
world at that time OF an unselfish ma
ton. Now, whether II is the fate, or
fortune, or travail Of destiny, II has
come to US TO unsheathe the sword
again, not alone for humanity's sake
through that splendid inspiration will
be involved-but to unsheathe the
sword against a great power in the
maintenance OF the rights of the re-
public, in the maintenance which will
atty. That's the great thing. and
want II known, Mr.. President and SEN
ators, that this is the impellfng thought
with me for one, when / cast my vote
For Same Guaranty Today.
sit is for that same guaranty OF ma
tiOnality' that j stand today, and shall
continue to stand infiexibly, SO long
as i shall be permitted to live. The
independence Of our great republic is
to me a priceless and sacred inheri-
lance. Time was when an American
did not hesitate TO proclaim himself
patriot. To do SO now, i am well
aware, is sometimes to invite the
sneers of cynicism. But why should
any true American not be free to say:
i am a patriot, wholly evoted to my
country, which i hold to be Gods best
inspiration TO man for higher attain
ment and the promotion OF the worlds
best civilizationT
But | have a special reason for
making this reference today. / chal-
lenge the statement that the patriot
ism which holds America first com
prehends either narrownos or selfish
ness, or as implying tacit suspicion and
jealousy Of other peoples.
ITO assert, as some have asserted
heedlessly, that those of us who honest
ly believe that America can best
serve all mankind as America, free
and untrammeled, rather than as one
in pitiable minority among many
states in merged world government,
lack consciousness &c the rightful de
mands of .umspity. is to utter gross
and objectionable libel. To attribute
meanness to those of us who, In the
performance Of our public duty, re-
fused to participate In what we sin
cerely regarded as betrayal of our
own country in the interest Of others,
is to discredit the intelligence and
discrimination of the great mass Of
American people who directly, by
their votes, put US In our positions of
trust. For myself, I yield to no man
In willingness, aye. In eagerness, to
render the greatest conceivable assist.
ance to the stricken peoples of Eu-
rope. j include all of them and
speak with a genuinely sympathetic
heart, whether it is to mention de-
vastated France, or sorely-tried Italy,
or nobiy-struggling Poland, or dis