The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-04-10
REED WON FIGHT AGAINST LEAGUE
PACT, BUT NEARLY WRECKED CAREER
game Of hating Wilson was the
equal of Reed.
Reed One Of Doubtcrs

Reed One Of Doubtcrs
In 1919, Wilson came back from
Europe, riding on the crest Of a
worldwide wave of popularity that
few men in history have enjoyed
and bringing with him his cherished
League Of Nations covenant for
adoption by the Senate.
For 4 time it seemed inevitable
that it would be accepted. Will
sons tremendous prestige seemed
certain to carry it over.
But there were a few u. S. sena-
tors who had their doubts about the
matter of setting up a govern
ment superior to our own" One
of these was jim Reed, a Democrat
Of the Andrew Jackson school. His
Americanism was of the flaming,
bristling, independent kina that
flourished at the frontier. His op-
position to the League of Nations
was something instructive: he could
not possibly have been for it, had
Wilson wooed him with all the
honeyed words in the dictionary.
Makes Fiery Speech
The battle ragged in the Senate.
IL Decline" Reed shouted in a
fiery speech late in 1919, ito help
set up any government that is
greater than that established by
my fathers, greater than that bap-
tizcd in the blood of patriots from
the lanes Of Lexington to the for
csts of the Argonrc, greater than
that Gan.tified by the tears of all
the mothe,s whose heroic sons have
gone down to death to sustain its
glory land its independence. I
decline to help set up any govern
ment greater than the government
of the United States Of America!"
Reed-admittedly one of the
greatest orators who ever sat in the
capitol-was at his best that day,
the fires Of passion and duty burn
ing hot within him.
1t was a speech that Washington
still remembers. It shattered the
staid gravity of the Senate; cheers
resounded through the galleries,
soldiers waved their caps and even
senator's leaped to their feet aud
applauded.
When Jim Reed fights he fights
all the way, so he carried his battle
to the people with a number oe
speaking engagements throughout
the country. He was at outs with
Wilson, unpopular and even hated
by millions Of his party, assailed
as a traitor" on many sides--but
when Reed fights he throws no
cream-puffs.
At Ardmore, Okla, they threw
rotten eggs at him, cut off the cleo
trio lights and near-riot cnsued.
In Birmingham, Ala, he was told
that he might be mobbea if he made
his address. In North Carolina, tho
legislature Cancelled an invitation
for him to address them and Grand
ed him as "a traitor who ought to
be shot," The Missouri legislature
likewise refused to let. him speak
before it, and throughout that state
Grid Us of Reed" clubs were
formed.
Threats Of Violence
There were threats of physical
violence more than once, but Reed
was never molested. Maybe his iron
courage explains why.
At a little town in the backhills
Of the Ozarks, Reed was warned that
he might be shot if he made his
speech, but Reed went. He spoke in
the crude little town hall, and after
he had finished he looked at his au-
dience in silence for a full minute
and then said:
= am going to walk down the
middlo aisle Of this hall, and II
anyone wants to shoot me, let him
fire away. Then I'm going to my