The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-08
WAR SCR|BEs SAY
WILSON SAID IT;
SUPPORT SPENCER
Gibbons Claims Full Stefo
Notes-Simonds Reported
Entire Address-Both Cor
respond With Statement.

Since President Wilson has brand
ed as absolutely and unqualifiedly
false" the statement of Senator Spen-
Ger, of Missouri that the president
promised military aid to Rumania
and Serbia in the event of invasion
of those countries, all evidence bear
ing upon the controversy assumes an
important interest to the American
voters, who on Nov. 2 will be called
upon to pass judgment in solemn
referendum" on the fate OF the
league of nations.
At the Goodwin Institute library,
two articles may be found bearing
on the presidents address in ques'
tion, delivered at the eighth plenary
session of the peace conference.
Frank H. Simonds, the famous war
correspondent, quoted the speech in
full in a newspaper article published
Dec. 3, 1919, which was reprinted In
| the Congressional Hecofd, on page
lilo. the follgwinG day at the request
OF Senator Johnson Of California.
Herbert Adams Gibbons, an or.
dained minister of the Presbyterian
church, Knight Legion of Honor OF
France. historian, correspondent of
the New York Herald for Turkey,
Egypt and the Balkan states since
1908, claims to have in his posses
sion the stenographic notes on the
proceedings Of the conference when
the speech of President Wilson was
dlivered.
In the May issue of the Century
magazine, DR.. Gibbons in an article
entitled Great Britain In Egypt"
said:
THE treaty Of Versailles created a
partnership, and bound the principal
allied and associated powers to pool
their armies and navies in defending
the status quo established by the
treaty. Notwithstanding his denial
of this Interpretation of the treaty
| when on ,his Western tour he begged
the American people to ratify the
traty without reservations, President
Wilson believed in Paris that he was
contracting such a partnership, with
equal and automatic responsibilities
| According to stenographic notes oi
the eighth plenary session of he
peace conference, which | haGG ir
my possession, President Wilson said
to PrerAfer Bratiano Of Rumania:
"'You must not forget that it il
force ~hIch is the final guarantee Of
the public peace If the world
is again troubled, IL the condition.
that we all regard as fundamenta
are upset and contested, the euaran.
tees which is given you means that
the United States will send to this
side Of the ocean their army anc
their fleet. Is il surprising that, this
| being the case, we desire that the
settlement Of the different probIem'
appear entirely satisfactory to us2'
Except for a few minor differences
in phraseology, DR.. Gibbons ant
Frank Simonds quote the president
in almost Identical terms. Because
Of the light it throws on the setting
Of the speech, and on the genera
| situation. Simond's article, including
the entire address Of the president
is reproduced herewith, as it appears
in the Congressional Record. under
the caption, Scope and Spirit o.
League Told in Presidents Speech
| Rumania Assured American Army
and Fleet Might Be Sent Overseas
II World is Troubled Again" (By
Frank II. Simonds):
Many times during the discussion
of the treaty OF Versailles in the
United States references have beer
made to the extent and character o.
the guarantees the United State.
would give by virtue of that docu.
ment to the various European na'
tions.
"Of all these addresses Of the presi.
dent the most complete and impres
sive was that made on May 81 in 6
pIeriary session. when he laid dowr
a doctrine which was declared BY
the members Of the American delega,
ton at the time to be one of tht
most important utterances of tht
whole conference. so far as American
| policy was concerned.
THE circumstances OF the presi
! dents speech are Of relatively minoI
Continued on page 2. column 1.)