Date: March 20, 1919
Context: Coolidge, serving as Governor of Massachusetts, responds to questions regarding a debate on the League of Nations
(Original source available here)
The question of what a League of Nations ought to undertake and what it ought not to undertake was never more clearly presented than in the discussion between Senator Lodge and President Lowell. The outstanding feature of the whole situation is that there seems to be very little disagreement. It was probably significant that the proposal of Mr. Lowell was for a joint debate on “whether or not the substance of the provisions of this covenant should be ratified by the United States,” and Mr. Lodge replied that he had “arranged for a public discussion of the plan for a League of Nations agreed upon by the commission of the Peace Conference.” This is interesting as indicating, as President Lowell set out also with great clearness in his speech, that he is in favor of the principle, but not of the particulars provided for in the present draft of the League, and that Senator Lodge is opposed to the particulars , as set out in his speech also, but not opposed to a League for peace purposes.
It was my judgment that the audience agreed with the position of both the speakers, aside from a certain degree of partisanship which would influence one part of the audience one way and another part another way. The absence of anything like partisanship was a strong feature of the discussion and no one could have heard these eminent sons of Massachusetts without feeling that neither one was seeking a partisan advantage or swayed by any motive other than a sincere and deeply patriotic desire to promote the well-being of his country. Each recognized that no nation liveth unto itself alone, but that there is a responsibility reaching beyond the geographical borders which cannot be avoided, which must be faced, and the burden of which must be borne.
The practical accomplishment, aside from the information derived from the discussion, was the assurance given by Senator Lodge to the questions of President Lowell, that he would gladly support a treaty for a League of Nations which was properly drawn, and his assurance that, if the opportunity were given him to act in his official capacity as a United States senator, he would propose amendments to the present document so as to make it meet with his approval.
Citation: Vermont Historical Society
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges Isaac Oberman, who prepared this document for digital publication.