The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-08-04
. DR.. +. +. LADD'S
WEEKLY letter

WEEKLY LETTER
Washington, D. G. July Is, 1921
/ Senator b. F. Ladd Of North Dako-
ta today introduced Senate Resolution
No. lie relating to referendum on
war. In commenting on his measure,
Senator Ladd says:
/ "On December IL, 1916 nearly two
years and half after the World War
had begun and but four short months
before we entered it, President Wilson
declared in a note to the belligerent
powers that he didn't know what the
WAR was about nor did anyone else
even the belligerents themselves, as
he stated in a note to them:
"The life of the entire world has
been profoundly affected. Every part
of the great familysof mankind has
felt the burden and terror Of the un-
precedented contest of arms. No ma
ton in the civilized world can be said
in truth to stand outside its influence
or be safe against it's disturbing ef-
fects. And yet the concrete objects
for which it is being waged have new
er been definitely stated.
"The leaders Of the several bellig-
erents have, as has been said, stated
those objects in general terms. But
stated in general terms, they seem
the same on both sides. Never yet
have the authoritative spokesmen Of
either side avowed the precise objects
which would, if attained, satisfy them
and their people that the war had been
fought out. The world has been left to
conjecture what definitive results,
what actual exchange of guarantees
what political or territorial changes
or readjustments, what stage of mil
itary success, ever would bring the
war to an end"
In an address at ST., Louis, Septen-
Der 5, 1919, he said: (
,"Why my fellow citizens, is there
any man here or any woman, let me
say is there any child here, who does
not know what the seed Of war in the
modern world is industrial and COM
mercial rivalry? The real reason that
the war that we have just finished
took place was that Germany was
afraid her commercial rivals were go
ing to get the better Of her and the
reason why some nations went into
the war against Germany was that
they thought Germany would get the
commercial advantage of them. The
seed Of jealousy, the seed of the deep
seated hatred was hot, successful COM
mercial and industrial rivalry"
"On the preceding day September A,
1919, at Indianapolis, Ind, President
Wilson said. a#
"If there had been nine days of dis
cussion Germany would not have gone
to war. If there had been nine days
upon which to bring to bear the opin-
ion of the world, the judgment Of man.
kind upon the purposes Of those Gov
ernments, they never would have
dared to execute those purposes"
''The primary purpose and ultimate
object Of this resolution is to ascer-
tain the opinion of the American peo-
pie on the subject Of engaging in a
war with a foreign Government ex-
cept to repel invasion or attack. AS
the power to declare was is vested in
the Congress of the United States, by
the Federal Constitution, it is natural
and it is necessary that the Congress
should be accurately informed as to
how the people feel about a matter OF
such transcendent Importance to them
"A moments reflection will show
that this only is the practicable and
effective way to determine question
of such momentous seriousness, in.
volving as it does such tragic and far.
reaching consequences.
sMost Of the wars that have
drenched the world with the blood o.
the most precious lives, destroyed tht
results Of years Of arduous labor ane
turned back the hands on the dial O
human progress, would never have oc'
Cured if the people who were engag
ed in them had been consulted.
"By submitting the question to thu
people, crooked, surrestitious displom
acy would receive it's death-blow. Ev
cry phase Of the proposition would b
discussed. Every important fact bro
forth. Every reason wise or otherwist
would naturally be advanced. tn.
spectacle Of q few irresponsible AMI
unscrupulous diplomats conspiring be
hind closed doors to make pawns Q:
peaceable people IN order to gratif!
their commercial, material and polit
cal ambitions would not be possible
4 There would be no place for clandes
/ tine intriguing, secret treaties, conf
dential understandings, spheres Of in
fluence, and other abominable negoti
atoms that these may suggest an
which have invariably characterize'
the procedures Of secret diplomacy.
AS this Is, as the immortal Lincoll
declared ssa Government Of the people
by the people and for the people" ]
4 follows as q necessary corollary tha
/ upon question of such vital signifi
cance, the people ought q be md !
Iis their natural God given right to y
consulted.
VI would BE difficult, Il not impoa
i sible, Tor any true American 70 Ole
4 my rational opposition to this propc
sition. II is TIE people who must prc