Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-13

is it desirable to do SO in preserving
our own rights and contracting our
future relationship.
The wiser course would seem to
be the acceptance of the confirmation
Of our rights and interests as al
ready provided and to engage under
the existing treaty, assuming, of
course, that this can be satisfactorily
accomplished by such explicit reser-
vations and notifications as will Sc
cure our absolute freedom from in
advisable commitments and safe
guard all our essential interests.
Neither Congress nor the people
needs my assurance that a request
to negotiate needed treaties of peace
would be as superfious and unneces-
sary as it is technically ineffective,
and l know in my own heart there
is none who would wish to embarrass
the executive in the performance of
his duty when we are all so eager
to turn disappointment and delay
into gratifying accomplishment. =
The WEAKNESS at home and the
disappointment to the world have
been compensated in the proof that
this republic will surrender none of
the heritage of nationality, but our
rights in international relationship
have to be asserted; they require es-
tablishment in compacts of amity;
our part in readjustment and restora-
ton cannot be ignored. and must be
defined.
with the super-g governing league
definitely rejected and with the world
so informed and with the status of
peace proclaimed at home, we may
proceed to negotiate the covenanted
relationships so essential to the
recognition of the rights everywhere
, of our own nation and play our full
part in joining the peoples of the
world in the pursuits of peace once
more. Our obligations in effecting
European tranquility. because of
! wars involvements. are not less i'm
polling than our part in the war it
self. This restoration must be wrought
before the human procession can go
onward again. We can be helpful be-
cause we are moved by no hatreds
and harbor no fears. Helpfulness
does not mean ENHANCEMENT and
participation in economic adjust
ments does not mean sponsorship for
! treaty commitments which do not
concern us and in which we will have
no part.
I'm an all-impelling wish to do the
most and best for our own republic
and maintain its high place among
nations and at the same time make
the fullest offering of justice to them.
shall invite in the most practical
way the advice of the Senate, after
acquainting it with all the conditions
to be met and obligations to be dis
charged. along with our rights to be
safeguarded. Prudence in making
the program and confident co-opera-
ton in making it effective cannot
f, lead us far astray. We can render
no effective service to humanity I'M
/ til we prove anew our own capacity
for cooperation in the coordination
of powers contemplated in the con-
stitution, and no covenants which ig-
more our associations in the war can
be made for the future. More, no
helpful society of nations can be
founded on justice and committed to
peace until the covenants re-estab-
fishing peace are sealed by the ma
, lions which were at war. To such
accomplishment-to the complete re-
establishment of peace and it's con-
tracted relationship. to the realiza-