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JANIUHLW20
Gore's Referendum
Amendment
iMnct from speoch or Hon.
fas P Gore, of Oklahoma, in the
X of the United States, Novem-
be'1h9a1vo) heard a great deal in
iw . . Mij"ti4- ttfrtfiri lnrnn
r i,nirn lionii assured that
raC.' .. , cufo ontorfifl this michtv
the Uimeu ot m-. i. wnr1r1
'..... ova nhout -world demo-
itipso iau uj i.
r l.ntm norm
V0 www
nlted States onterc
?n order to "mi
ife for democracy." me purpose,
?'LUe. was to democratize the
Unlet in order to "make the world
Conflict 1U i" rrhR nnrnnRrt
The Commoner
t nssume, was w uomuwu
rid With that purpose, whether
!S or ideal, I sympathize; it is
undoubtedly a consummation most
devoutly to bo desired, - In harmony
with that lofty spirit, I propose this
nmendraent in order to democratize
war. I propose an advisory vote -of
tho people on the part of nations con
templating war before they take up
arms and plunge their people into
the whirlpool of butchery and of
blood. ,
Mr. President, this amendment,
this plan, is the only way to democ
ratize war and, in my judgment, it
is the best way to prevent and minim
ize war. Perhaps no one indulges
tho fond hope that war can he en
tirely eradicated among the children
of men; certainly not until further
evolution has been realized in the
'progress of human affairs; hut this j
amendment is in harmdhy withour
professed purpose in entering" the J
war; this amendment is in harmony1
with the spirit of the times; this
amendment is in harmony with the
great currents of human affairs; this
amendment is in harmony with tho
genius of our free institutions; it is
it in narmony witn tne principles oi
It self-government: it is in harmony
with tho theory that governments
derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed;' it is in
harmony withtho high resolve that
this Government of the people, by
tho people, and for the people shall
not perish from the earth. This
amendment is in harmony with' the
historic declaration of President Wil
eon made at Washington's Tomh July
4, 1918.
"The settlement of every question
whether of territory, of sovereignity,
of economic arrangement, or of po
Itical relationship, must ho upon the
basis of free acceptance of .that set
tlement by the people immediately
concerned."
My desire is to exemplify my faith
in the capacity of the people to .gov
ern themselves not aloneMn national
concerns but in affairs that are in
ternational. J1?1?,1" elso may De said in uc"
nair oi the league of nations, it can
2L e ,8ald tbat ifc is entirely demo
crat c in its organization. It lacks
we two essential conditions of democ-
"' ine representatives to the
vnffVr0 not oSen by a- direct
RPnL tho PePle. and tho repre-
n are not directly responsible
cLm body of tne PQPle in the
Sn "?nt natIons- Ifc ls both
S ials, of democracy direct
0;ico and direct responsibility. One
to n,fSQ c?nditions is essential even
we semblance of democracy. Both
tho ,fw conditIons are essential to
wc I substance of democracy.
IeaeSfl JB.-?nG oterfeature of the
S Slc? is not orely eonso
demooIfU dfmocratic principles or
m2?S;ti0 Institutions. ' In some
t ivo n, S,' at least legislative, execu
bln ie. i na . Judicial powers are com
of ii,0 and centralized in the hands
a c55?hi f?amo sot of men- Such
dent ?inS"on of Powers, Mr. Presi
of dBlre Bource and tho sinews
thesBti8In- TnQ separation of
and i-ff8 P essential to liberty
In fuLL; . BpenBable t0 democracy.
DoworlU8lng witl1 thl Partition of
W8 vre now accept as an article
of faith and as a rule of nc.tinn n
scheme I may say an experiment
which bears the universal condemna
tion of all human experience.
Not only that, but as at present
constituted tho league will be a gov
ernment of. men and not a govern
ment of laws. The will of the coun
cil, the will of the assembly, so far as
I can -ascertain, will not bo bound
by tho principles of international
law as they have heretofore existed.
There is no rulo of action prescribed
for the guidance of these men; there
is no fixed standard to govern theh
deliberations or their decisions, and,
in the absence of law, there can be
no such thing as responsible and as
sured justice. But I waive those
considerations.
There is, Mr. President, in tho
pending treaty tho recognition of ,ono
democratic principle. Tho recogni
tion is not theoretical or academic;
it is expllct. Tho treaty proposes
to reduce this principle to practice.
It proposes to apply this democratic
principle in concrete cases for the
decision of important issues and de
termining tho fate and allegiance of
considerable bodies of people. I re
fer, Mr. President, to" tho plebiscite
or to the referendum which is to be
applied in the Saar Valley and which
is also to be applied in Upper Silesia.
The treaty undertakes to apply this
democratic principle, perhaps, to tho
one set of circumstances to which it
is least applicable. To allow a small
body of people occupying a narrow
tract of territory to determine tho
destiny of great States and larger
peoples, I am not certain Is required
by tho principle of the plebiscite,
and I am not cortain that it will
contribute to international peace.
I hope that this resort to the pleb
iscite will he justified by events; but,
iowever, that may be, the point I
now make is that the peace com
mission and the pending peace treaty
give distinct and practical recogni
tion to the principle of the referen
dum or to the principle-ol tho plebis
cite. If the people of tho Saar Valley,
if the people of Silesia, ate to be
permitted to decide by an advisory
vote under what flag they will live,
is it inconsistent to permit them
to pass judgment upon the vital is
sues of peace and war? That is the
principle which I invoke.
I should explain that my amend
ment provides solely for an advisory
vote. I do not propose to make this
vote conclusive or binding. This dis
tinction rests upon two considera
tions. Under our Constitution, this
league "Could not provide for a man
datory vote upon the question of
peace or war. The power to declare
war is vested hy our Constitution in
the Congress of tho United States,
and not even the league of nations
could divest the Congress of that
constitutional power. I do believe,
however, that an advisory vote
touching the question of peace or war
would not be incompatible either
with the letter or with the spirit of
our constitution. I am certain that
it would he compatible with the
spirit of our Institutions and with the
genius of pur people.
There -is one other practical reason
for providing for an advisory rather
than for a conclusive and binding
referendum. I think that an advisory
vote is in the interest of peace, it
is conservative in its character and
tendencies. Let me illustrate what
I mean. . . .
Suppose that a nation contemplat
ing war should take a vote upon that
issue. Suppose that the war -par ty
should prevail by a majority of only
1,000 in a vast vote. If the vote were
mandatory, if it were ?'
elusive, the nation would thereupon
find itself in a state of war. It could
not retrace its steps, notwithstanding
the even division of sentiment among
its people. On the other hand if tho
EhE
i y Limrseu wuu the power
nvnn0,' fInd,US OIltimont 0
evenly divided, might still find ways
? ?ea?i8 ? kcep th0 noaco' and
to avert tho Impending calamities of
war. For this reason, I submit that
an advisory vote would contribute
more to tho maintenance of peace
than would a mandatory voto upon
tho Issue.
The object of my amendment is,
I repoat, to democratize war. In
view of tho recognition of tho pleb
iscite In this treaty, there can bo no
objection founded upon principle to
tho application of tho principle of
the plebiscite to tho issues of poaco
and war. My purpose -Is to permit
tho people wiho are to bear tho bur
dens of war to have at least an
advisory voto as to tho desirability
oi a proposed war.
13;
Ml
WH
are not definitely known, and Its M
assumed that this Inoludoa all but
William JonnlngB Bryan.
Tho questions propounded by ths
loaguo rto substantially us follows',
"Do you bollovo In carrying out
tho provisions of prbhlbltlon M
adoplod hy congross?
"Do you favor tho passage of ad
ditional legislation if audi Ib found- 1
necessary for effoctivo enforcement
of prohibition?
"Aro you opposed to legislation., J
which would weaken or repeal ox-
lating legislation for prohibition?
Then on tho other hand, thoro la
now bolng proparod for general olr-
dilation throughout the country tho
following "wet" pledge, not only for
, tho possible signature of candidates;
out tho public as a whole:
"Bcllevlug that tho constitutional
I wish to lot
thn hnVH TV tin !trn fn hlnnrl nnrl rll T
wish to lot tho fathers and mothers Sfruf1?1 Pa88 Jiy co"r8 and
nf thn linva vjhn oro n mo.i nA ,n ' ratified by a majority of tho statos
have the privilege of- at least an ad- ?, lHnemcLU UI!on my Pr8nal
visory voto as to tho indispensable "b.ortlcs' hereby plodgo myself to
necessity of a proposed war. , vtto anst any candidate for polltl-
In view of tho recognition by tho I !LaL who favora onforoo-
treaty of the principle of the plobls-i l
cite, there can be only pno argument; Then there Is another question.
against this proposed amendment.
That Is the ancient, the undemocratic,
the autocratic argument that tho peo
ple are not qualified to pronounce
judgment upon the issue of poaco
and war. It- is the autocratic, it is
tho undemocratic, contention that tho
people do not understand tho finesse
of foreign diplomacy, that the peo
ple do not understand tho profound
principles of international jurispru
dence, that tho people do not under
stand the mysteries of higher state
craft; it is the old contention that
tho people do not understand their
own v'tal Interests, tho contention
that the people do not understand
and can not preserve their own na
tional honor; it is tho old contention
that tho people aro not capable of
self-government.
Senator Borah has just placed Gov.
Frank O. Lowdon In the witnesa
chair -to answer tho following:
"Do you believe tbat tho time hao
come when wo should abandon tho
policy of no entangling alliances, no
partnerships with European powers,'
aid enter Into alliances of under
standings with European powers?"
This question is designed to
"smoke out" Jowden and It will bo
put up also to Gen. Wood and othor
candidates . whoso position has no 6
boon sot forth on tho loaguo of na
tions, which Borah bitterly opposoa.
PROFITS OF NEW YOllK BANK0
A Now York dispatch, dated Doc,
29, says: A computation just made
by the Financial Age shows cloai'ly
the reason why Wall Street was able
to give such generous bonuses taT
its employes this year. Tho figures
"SMOKING OUT" CANDIDATES
Robert J. Bonder, in Washington-
staff correspondence, says: Presi-1 reveal some of tho leading bank prof-
dential candidates aro being sub-J its for the year as follows:
jected to the tortures of the Inqu!s!-c NatIonal Bank . , . .$7,510,000
tion. Aspiriants in both parties Bank Qf Comraerco 7,309,000
are called upon to give direct an-, pjrst NatJonal 7,175,000
swers on two of tho most delicate Natloual CIty 5,390,000
questions before tho publicprobl- National Park 4,771,000
bition enforcement and Americas Mechanlca and MotaB ... 2,205,000
foreign policy. Irving National 1,761,000
Candidates don't particularly rel- uheT y Natlonal 1,082,000 "
ish demands for direct answers on Arncrlcan Exchange Nat'I. 1,239,000
most questions. But the Anti-j .,.,.
Saloon league wants to learn the Tho National Park Bank earned
nHfiwin of evorv candidate on the 95 per cent on its capital; tho Sea-
subiect of strict application of the .board, 83 per cent; the Hanover, 75 .$
Volstead dry eniorcement iaw per cam,, mo iiauimuu, -u jwi vm,,
that is, every candidate whose views and the Gotham, 43 per cent. .a4
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