Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-03-09
HARDING HITS AT
WORLD LEAGUE
Continued from first page.

cations which will subject our deci
sions TO any other than our own au'
thority.
| am sure our own people will Not
misunderstood, nor the world miscOn-
strue. We have no thought TO impede
the paths TO closer relationship. We
| wish to promote understanding. We
want to do our part in making often
sivc warfare so hateful that govern
ments and peoples who resort to II
must prove the righteousness OF their
cause or stand as outlaws before the
BAR Of civilization.
Association for Counsel.
We are ready to associate ourselves
with the nations of the world, great
| and small, for conference, for counsel,
To seek the expressed views of world
opinion, 70 recommend a way TO APP
proXimate a disarmament and relieve
the crushing burdens of military and
naval establishments We elect to
participate in suggesting gplans for
mediation, Cancellation and arbitra-
ton, and would gladly join in that
expressed conscience Of progress which
seeks to clarity and write the laws
of international relationship, and es-
teblish world court, for the DISPOSE
ton of such justiciable questions as
nations are agreed to submit thereto.
In expressing aspirations, in seeking
practical plans, in traRslating human
ity's new concept of righteousness and
justice and its hatred of war into rec
commended action, we are ready most
heartily TO unite, but every COM
mitment must be. made in the ex-
| ercise of our national sovereignty.
Since freedom impelled, and independ-
ence inspired, and nationality exalted,
a world super-government is contrary
| to everything we cherish, and can
have no sanction by our republic. This
Is not selfishness, it is sanctity. 1t is
not aloOfness, it is security. 1t is not
suspicion of others, it is patriotic
adherence to the things which made
| US whaf we are.
Today better than ever before we
know the aspirations of human kind,
and share them. We have come to-
new realization of our place in the
world and q new appraisal of our ma
ton by the world The unselfishness
| of these United States is thing
proven Our devotion to peace for our
selves and fer the world is well estab-
lished. Our concern for preserved civ
iHzation has had its imprisoned and
heroic expression. There was no
American failure to resist the at
tempted reyersion of civilization.
There will be no failure today or to-
morrow.
Rests on Popular Will.
The success of our popular govern
ment rests wholly upon the correct in
depreciation of the deliberate intelli-
gent, dependable popular will of Amer
lea. In a deliberate questioning of q
! suggested change of national policy
where internationally was to super
cede nationality, we turned TO re-
ferendrm of the American people
There was ample discussion, and there
is republic mandate In manifest I'M
| derSrandng
! America is ready To encourage eager
to Initiate, anxious To participate liz
any Seemly program likely to lessen
| the probability of war and promote
that brotherhood of mankind which
! must be Gods highest conception of
human relationship. Because we cher
! ish ideals of justice and peace, be-
cause we appraise international com
! ity and helpful relationship no less
highly than any people of the world,
we aspire to a high place in the moral
/ leadership Of civilization and we hold
maintained America, the proven re-
| public, the mistaken temple of rep
| resentatiye democracy, to be not
| only an inspiration and example, but
| the highest agency Of Strengthening
| good will and promoting accord on both
! continents.
Trade Ties Bind Closely.
We must understand the ties of trade
bind nations in closest intimacy. and
none may receive except as he gives.
We have not strengthened ours in ac-
COrdance with our resources or our
genius, notably on our own continent,
where galaxy of republics reflect the
glory of new world democracy, but in
The new order of finance and trade we
mean to promote enlarged activities
and seek expanded confidence.
Perhaps we can make no more help
full contribution by example than re-
public's capacity to emerge from the
wreckage of war. While the worlds
cmbittered travail did not leave us
devastated lands nor desolated cities,
left no gaping wounds, no breast filled
with hate, it did involve us in the
delirium of expenditures, in expanded
currency and credits, in unbalanced in
dustry, in unspeakable waste and dis
turbed relationships. While il uncoy-
cred our portion of hateful selfishness
at home, it also revealed the heart of
America as sounu and fearless and
beating in confidence unfailing.
Amid it all we have riyeted the gaze
of all civilization to the unseIfishness
and the righteousness of representative
democracy where our freedom never
has made offensive warfare, never has
sought territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
through force, never has turned to the
arbitrament of arms until reason has
been exhausted. When the govern