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The Commoner
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TOIi. 20, NO. 1
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Jacfebn Day Banquet at Washington
TEXT OF THE WILSON MESSAGE
1 ' President Wilson's message to the Democrats
attending the Jackson Day celebration at Wash
ington, January 8, addressed to Homer S. Cum
mings, chairman of tho Democratic national com
mittoo, follows:
, "It is with kooncst regret that I find that I
v am to ho doprlved of tho pleasure and privilege
of Joining you and tho other loyal democrats
who aro to assomhlo tonight to colobrate Jackson
day and renew tholr vows o fidelity to the
groat principles of our party, tho principles
which must now fulfill tho hopos not only of our
own peoplo, but of tho world.
" -f "Tho United States enjoyed tho spiritual
'leadership of tho world until the senate of tho
.Unitod Stales failed to ratify the treaty by which
'the belligerent nations sought to effect the set
tlements for which they had fought thruout
' tho war. It is inconceivable that at this su-
promo crisis, and final turning point in tho in
ternational relations of tho Whole world, when
'tho results of tho great war aro by no moans
'dotorminod and aro still questionable and de-
' pendent upon events which no man can foresee
or count upon, tho Unitod States should with-
' draw from the concert of progressive and en
Mlg'htdnod nations by which Germany was de
feated and all similar governments (if the world
bo so unhappy as to contain any) warned of tho
certain consequences of any attempt of a Mike
- iniquity, and yet that is tho effect of the course
the souato of tho Unitod States has taken with
rogard to tho troaty of Versailles.
STILL IN STATE OF WAR
"Gormany is beaten but we aro still at war
with her, and the old stago is reset for a rep
etition of the old plot. It is now ready for
the, resumption of tho old offensive and defen
sive alliances which mado settled peace condi
tions impossible. It is now open to every sort
of intrigue. The old spios aro free to resume
their former abominable activities. They are
again at Uborty to make it impossible for. gov
ernments to be sure what mischief is being
workod among their own peoplo, what intornal
disorders aro being fomented. Without the
covenant of tho league of nations, there may
bo as many socret treaties as ever, to destroy
tho confidence of governments in each othor
and thoir validity cannot bo questioned.
"None of the objects wo profossed to bo fight
Ing for has boon secured or can be made certain
of without this nation's ratification of tho treaty
and its entry into tho covenant. This nation
entered tho groat war to vindicate its own rights
and to protect and prosorve free government. It
wont into the war to see it thru to tho end,
and tho end has not yet como. It wont into
tho war to make an end of militarism, to fur
nish guarantees to weak nations and to make
a, just and lasting peace. It entered it with
noble enthusiasms. Five of. tho leading Jjel
ligeronts havo accepted tho troaty and formal
ratifications will soon bo exchanged. The ques
tion is whether this cauntr will enter and enter
W.holQ-heartadly. Jf it does not do so the Unitod
'States and Germany will play a lone hand in
tho. world. Tho maintenance of tho peace of tho
,.world and tho effective execution of the treaty
.depend upon tho whole-hearted participation of
tho Unitod States.
"I am not stating it as a matter of power,
Tho point is that he United StateB is tho only
nation which has sufficient moral force with tho
vrest of the world to guarantee tho sustitution
of discussion for war. If we keep out of this
agreement, if wo do not give our guarantees,
then another attempt will bo made to crush the
now nations of Europe.
"I do not believe that this is what tho people
of this country wish or will bo satisfied with.
Personally, I do not accept the action of the
" . oenato of the United States as tho decision of
,tho nation. I havo assorted from tho first that
the overwhelming majority of tho people of this
country desire tho Ratification of tho treaty, and
, my impression to that effect has recently been
Confirmed by tho unmistakable evidence of pub
He opinion given during ray visit to seventeen
of tho states. ,
' t "I havo endeavored to make it plain that if
the senate wishes to say what the undoubted
meaning of tho league is, I shall have no ob
Jeqtion. There can be no reasonable objection
. to Interpretations accompanying the act of. rati
fication itself. But when the treaty is acted
upon I must know whether it means that wo
havo ratified or rejected it. We cannot rewrite
this treaty. Wo must tako it without changes
which alter its moaning, or leave it, arid then
after tho rest of tho world has signed it, wo
must face the unthinkable task of making .an
other and separate kind of treaty with Ger
many. But no mere assertions with regard to
tho wish and opinion of tho country are credited.
If there is any doubt as to what tho people
of tfce country think of 'this vital matter tho
clear and single way out is to submit it for de
termination at tho next election to the voters of
the nation, to give the next election the form of
a' great and solemn referendum as to the part
tho United States is to play in completing the
settlements of tho war and In tho prevention in
tho future of such outrages as Germany at
tempted to perpetrate.
"Wo havo no more moral right to refuse now
to tako part in the execution and administra
tion of these settlements than we had to refuse
to take part in the fighting of the last few weeks
of the war which brought victory and mado it
possible to dictate to Germany what tho settle
ments should bo. Our fidelity to" our associates
in tho war Is in question and tho whole future
of mankind. It will be heartening to tho wholo
world to know the attitude and purpose of the
people of the United States
0 DEMOCRACY NOT VINDICATED
"I spoke just now of the spiritual leadership
of the United States, thinking of international'
affairs. But there is. another spiritual leader
ship which is open to us and which we 'can as
sume. The world has been made safe for democ
racy, but democracy has not been finally vin
dicated. All sorts of crimes are being com
mitted in its name, all sorts of preposterous per
versions of its doctrines and practices are being
attempted. This, in my judgment, Is to be the
great privilege of the democracy of tho Unitod
States, to show that it can lead the way in the
solution of the great social and industrial prob
lems of our time and- lead the way to a happy
and settled-order of life as well as to political
liberty. Tho program for this achievement we
must attempt to formulate, and in carrying it
out we shall do more than can be done in any
other way to sweep out of existence the tyran
nous and arbitrary forms of power which are
now masquerading under the name of popular
government.
"Whenever we look back to Andrew Jackson
we should draw fresh inspiration from his
character and example. His mind grasped with
such a splendid definiteness and firmness the
principle of national authority and national ac
tion. He was so indomitable in his purpose to
give reality to the principles of the government
that this is a very fortunate time to recall his
career and to renew our vows on faithlessness to
the principles and the pure practices of democ
racy. I rejoice to join you in this renewal of
faith and purpose. I hope thl the whole even
ing may be of the happiest results as regards
the fortunes of our party and the nation." "
DEMOCRACY'S OPPORTUNITY
Following is an abstract of Mr. Bryan's ad
dress at the dinner given by the Democratic na
tional committee, January 8, 1920:
"Seldom has such an opportunity for great
service come to any party as now presents itself
J5mur 35rt But PPrtunity brings responsi
bility. Much is required of those to whom much
is given. A soldier is a soldier until his day
of opportunity comesafter that he is either a
hero or a coward. So. with the party onnor
tunities improved become stepping stones to
SuCClS3l opportunities neglected are millstones
, about the party's neck. "nustones
"The opportunities now offered are as large
as the nation antf as wide as the world.' .in
this hour, when we take counsel together fo?
v the coming campaign; it is the duty of each
member of the party, as I take it, to present
the situation as he sees jt, without stopping to
inquire whether his view's are shaved by others
One cannot call n na monH - 2. "IB.rB
5??, ,thlnf- -y orSocracy Tat
all think and give expression to their thought
S views". B arG reaChGd by coParfso
"Permit me, therefore, to present the' mora
hnpor ant of these opportunities as I see them
The nations are entering upon a neVera- 0?d
systems are passing away; democracy is dawn
ing everywhere. Our nation Is the only gt
nation in a Position to furnish the moral leader
"HSt r?utired- Te nations of Europe are buw
with their own problems; our people are til
only ones disinterested enough to be trusted X
all, and the democratic party is the party wLZ
ideas best fit it for the task of leSewwJ
such a work. p m
SENATE TACTICS CRITICISED
"A democratic president was the spokesman
of the United States in holding out to a wi?
worn world the hope of universal peace ami
He brought back from Paris the covenant of a
league of nations that provides means for set
tling international disputes without a resort to
force. He did the best he could, and succeeded
better than we had any right to expect, when
wo remember that ho fought single-handed
against the selfish interests of the world
"The republican party in control of the sen
ate, instead of ratifying at once or promptly
proposing changes that it deemed necessary has
fiddled while civilization has been threatened
with conflagration. It could have adopted its
reservations as well five months ago as later, but
it permitted endless debate while suffering hu
manity waited.
"The democratic senators stood with the presi
dent for ratification without reservation, and I
stood with them, believing that it was better
to secure with the league, after it was estab
lished, any necessary changes than to attempt
to secure them by reservations in tho ratifying
resolution. But our plan has been rejected
and we must face the situation as it is. We
must either secure such compromises as may bo
possible or present the issue to the country.
The latter course would mean a delay of at
least fourteen months, and then success only in
case of our securing a two-thirds majority in
the senate.
OPPOSES LEAG.UE AS ISSUE
. "We cannot afford, either as citizens or as
members of the party, to share with the re
publican narty responsibility for further delay.
We cannot go before the country on the issue
that such an appeal would present. The re
publicans have a majority in the senate and,
therefore, can by right dictate the senate's
course. Being in the minority, we cannot de
mand the right, to decide the terms upon which
the senate will consent to ratification. Our na
tion ha3 spent 100,000 precious lives and more
than $20,000,000,000 to make the world safe
for democracy, . and the one fundamental prin
ciple of democracy is the right of the majority
tp rule. It applies to the senate and to the
house, as well as to the people. According to
the constitution, a treaty is ratified by a two
thirds vote, but the democratic party cannot af
ford to take . advantage of the constitutional
right of a minority to prevent ratification. A
majority of congress can declare war. Shall Ave
make it more difficult to conclude a treaty than
to enter a war?
"Neither can we go before the country on the
issue raised by article 10. If we do not intend
to impair the right of congress to decide the
question of peace or war when the time for
action, arises, how can we insist upon a moral
obligation to go to war, which can have no force
or value except as it does impair the independ
ence of congress? . We owe it to the world to
join in an lionest effort to put an end to war
forever, and that effort should be made at the
earliest possible moment.
"A democratic party cannot be a party of
negation. It must have a constructive program.
It must not only favor a league of nations, but
it must have a plan for the election of delegates
and a policy to be pursued by these delegates.
"What plan can a democratic party have other
than one that contemplates, the popular election
of those delegates who, in the influence they
will exert, will be next-in importance to the
president himself? And what policy can the
democratic party .have within the league of na
tions other than one of absolute independence
and impartiality between the members of tho
league?
"Our nation's voice should at all times be
raised in behalf of equal and exact justice be
tween nations as the only basis of permanent
peace; it should be raised in defense of tho
right of self-determination and in proclaiming a
spirit of brotherhood as universal as the peace
which we advocate.
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS ARISING
"We have domestic problems also which offer
an opportunity to render large service, and one
objection to thrusting the treaty into the campaign-
is thaj it would-divert attention from
questions demanding immediate consideration.
We are confronted with the organization of new
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