The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-31
lext Of Address Delivered By Wilson
10 Committee OF Pro.Leasue Republicans

/ will be absolutely thrown away If
our soldiers and sailors so heroicany
undertook to execute.
"One thing ought to be said. and
said 'ery clearly, about Article Y
of the covenant of the league of ma
tions. 1t is a specific pledge of the
members of the league that they will
unite TO resist exactly the things
which Germany attempted. no matter
who attempts them in the future 1t
Is as exact a definition as could be
given in general terms OF the out
rage which Germany would have
committed if ii could
Germany violated the territorial
Integrity OF her neighbors and flout-
ed their political independence in or
der 10 aggrandi2e herself, and almost
every war OF history has originated
in such designs. 1t is significant that
the nations of the world should have
at last combined TO define the gener-
al cause of war and to exercise such
concert as may be necessary to pre-
vent such methods
article Y. therefore, is the spe-
ciGic redemption of the pledge which
tlAe free governments of the world
gave To their people when they en-
tered the war. They promised their
people not only that Germany would
be prevented from carrying out her
plot, but that the world would be
saleguarded in the future from similar
designs.
I'VE row have to choose whether we
will make good or quit. We have
joined issue. and the issue Is be-
tween the spirit and purpose of the
United States and the spirit and pur-
pose OF imperialism, no matter where
it shows itself The spirit of inn
perialism is absolutely ,opposed to
free government, to the safe life of
nations. TO the development o.
peaceful industry. and to the compile
lion ot the righteous processes Of civ
liz2tion. 1t seems to me, and | think
ii viii seem so Ia you that it is our
duty to show the indomitable will and
irresistible majesty of The high pur-
pose OF the United States so that
the part we played in the war as
soldiers and sailors may be crowned
with the achievement of lasting peace
mo one who opposes the ratification
of the treaty Of Versailles and the
adoption of the covenant of the
league Of nations, has proposed any
other adequate means of bringing
about settled peace. There is no
other available or possible means. and
this means is ready to hand. They
have, on the contrary, tried to per-
suade you that the very pledge con-
tanned in Article Ten. which is the
essential pledge of the whole plan
of security, is itself threat of war.
1t is, on the contrary, an assurance
of the concert Of all the free peoples
of the world in the future. as in
the recent past, to see justice done
and humanity protected and vindicat-
ed. This is the true, the real AM
ericanism. This is the role of leader
ship and championship of the right
which the leaders of the republic in
tended that it should play. The So
called Americanism which we hear
so much prating about now is spur
ious and invented for party pur-
poses only.
This choice is the supreme choice
of the present campaign. 1t is re-
grettable that this choice should be
associated with party contest. As
compared with the choice of a course
of action that now underlies every
other, the fate Of parties is a mat
ter or indifference. Parties are sig
cause the voters must make up their
minds which of the two parties is
most likely to secure the indispensable
results. The nation was never called
upon To make a more solemn determi-
nation than ii must now make The
whole moral future force of right in
the world depends upon us rather
than upon any other great nations,
and ii would be pitiful indeed, if
after so many great free peoples had
entered the great league we should
hold aloof. | suggest that the cam
didacy Of every candidate for what
ever office be tested by this ques-
ton:
Shall we or shall we not redeem
the great moral obligations of the
United States?'