Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-11
Woodrow Wilson
AS | KNOW HIM
BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.


OF course, if they decline,
then it is perfectly legitimate,
it seems to me, for the Demo
cratic organization if it pleases
to pass resolutions, framing
these resolutions in as non-par-
tisan language as is possible,
but, nevertheless doing what cit.
liens ought to do in matters of
this sort. But not without first
making it matter of party
record that it has made the ap-
proaches to the Republican or
CARNATIONS and has proposed
this similarity of action. In that
way we accomplish a double OBJ
ject. We put it up to them to
support the real opinion of their
own people, and we get instruct
ed by the resolutions, and we
find where the weak spots are
and where the fighting has to
be done for this great issue. Be-
cause, believe me, gentlemen
the civilized world cannot afford
to have us lose this fight.
tried to state in Boston what
it would mean to the people of
the world if the United States
did not support this great ideal
with cordially, but I was not
able to speak when 1 tried fully
to express my thoughts. 1 tell
you frankly, I choked up; 1
could not do it. The thing
reaches the depth Of tragedy.
There is a sense in which 1 can
see that the hope entertained by
the people of the world with
regard to us is a tragical hope
-tragical in this sense, that it
is so great, so far-reaching, it
runs out to such depths that we
cannot in the nature of things,
satisfy it. '/ -
Relates Experience
The only thing that that ugly,
poisonous thing called Bolshe-
vism feeds on is the doubt of the
man on the street of the essen
tial integrity of the people he is
depending on to do his govern
ing. That is what it feeds on.
No man in his senses would
think that a lot of local soviets
could really run a government,
but some of them are in a tenn
per to have anything rather than
the kind of thing they have been
having; and they say to them
selves: "Well, this may be bad,
but it is at least better and more
Immediately in touch with us
than the other, and we-will try
it and see whether we can not
work something out of it.
So that our immediate duty.
not as Democrats, but as Ameri-
can citizens, is to concert the
most powerful campaign that
was ever concerted in this coun-
try in favor of supporting the
League of Nations and to put it
it up to everybody-the Repub-
o iican organizations and every
other rganization-to say where
they stand, and to make record
and explain this thing to the
people.
In one sense it does not make
any difference what the consti-
tuition of the League of Natinos
is. This present constitution iii
my judgment is a very conserva-
tive and sound document. There
ara some things in it which I
would have phrased otherwise.
I I'm modest enough 70 believe
that the American draft was
better than this, but it is the
result of as honest work as
ever knew to be done. Here
we sat around the table where
there were representatives of
fourteen nations. The five great
powers, so-called, gave them
they allowed the other nine one
delegate apiece. But it did not
count by members-it counted
by purpose.
I had this interesting expert
ence when the covenant was
framed. / found that 1 was the
only member of the committee
who did not take it for granted
that the members of the league
would have the right to secede.
I found there was a universal
feeling that this treaty could be
denounced in the usual way and
that a state could withdraw.
demurred from that opinion and
found myself in minority Of
one. and I could not help saying
to them that this would be very
interesting on the other side Of
the water, that the only south
erner on this conference should
deny the right of secession. But
nevertheless it is instructive and
interesting to learn that this is
taken for granted; that it is not
a covenant that you would have
to continue to adhere to. I SUP
post that it is necessary as
sumption among sovereign
states, but it would not be a very
handsome thing to withdraw aft
er we had entered upon it. The
point is that it does rest upon
the good faith of all the ma
lions.