I have never desired more to have my

I have never desired more to have my words inspired than I do now. I am fond of the Latter-day Saints. My heart is full of love for the people among whom I was born and with whom I have been raised. In the years in which I have been separated from the Church, largely in attendance at eastern universities, I have thought of my people here with very great fondness, and have confidently felt that all the good ideas there learned, if properly presented to my own people here, would be accepted promptly by them. ¶

An Appeal for Pure Water

At Cornell University I devoted a great deal of time to the study of sanitary engineering. As I listened to the teachings of college professors I was amazed that the lives of our people have been so well preserved under unsanitary conditions. When I came from that institution the sun had not gone down on the first day of my arrival until I had called together, in one of our "Mormon" villages, the officials of the city and appealed to them that they provide the people with pure water. I am pleased to be able to say the appeal was not made in vain. Nor have I since in religious services, before meetings of commercial clubs or other organizations, appealed to any of our people along these lines without success. ¶

We Accept Truth From Every Source

This is one reason among many why I have great confidence in you, my own people. We believe in accepting truth, from whatever source it comes. If there is anything virtuous, honest, upright, holy, good, and true, we, in accordance with the fundamental principles of the gospel, seek after these things. ¶

A Genuine Love of and Interest in America

I regard myself as a pretty good American. My ancestors have been Americans. I met a man from Canada a few days ago, an engineer, whose name is Lyman. I received a letter from him only yesterday in which he sent me a long list of ancestors. He points with pride to their record. Since 1630, the Lymans have been active in their support of this great country. It has had no important war in which Lymans have not fought, in which Lymans have not bled, in which Lymans have not died for their country. I see before me now, especially in these front seats, many stake presidents with whom I have had very intimate, friendly, affectionate association. I wonder if at this hour I may properly attribute to them what I attribute to myself, that is, a genuine love of and interest in America ? ¶

Some men who are here talked with me months ago upon the subject concerning which I desire to make a few remarks today. Upon this subject, their views and mine differ. I extend to them the liberty of thinking as their consciences direct, and I desire to be accorded the same privilege. I have greater respect for the man who expresses his honest convictions when he is with the minority than I have for the man whose desire, it seems, is primarily to be with the majority. American freedom, American liberty and American institutions can only endure indefinitely, if I understand the fundamentals of American government, if every man, in the language of Abraham Lincoln, dares to the end to do his duty as he understands it. These men before me who conscientiously are opposed to the League of Nations, I admire. I respect them for their true Americanism. Such as these will make the republic of America endure indefinitely, if indefinitely it is to endure. ¶

Position on the League of Nations

Some may say I speak here with an unfair advantage, since others have no opportunity to reply. But I say, as a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I cannot, at this conference, do my duty, as I understand it, if I keep my lips closed upon a subject that, to my mind, has more to do with the welfare of all the nations of the world than any other subject that has come before the American people since the Constitution was adopted. So I say frankly, brethren, come, let us for a moment reason together. I now speak upon this subject, in public, for the first time. I have hesitated to do this because my views do not agree with those of my life-long friend, the Honorable Reed Smoot, whom I have admired since childhood. But I know this broad-minded statesman well enough to realize that he will have greater respect for me if I speak than he could have if, with my convictions, I were to remain silent. ¶

I have studied the covenant of the League of Nations with considerable care. One objection raised against it is that the people of Europe, not familiar with our ideals, and not concerned in the welfare of our country, are given authority to say when we shall and when we shall not go to war. I am not able to read this meaning into the proposed covenant of the League. The covenant provides for two bodies of representatives, one is called the assembly and the other the council. In the council there will be but nine countries represented. Each country in that council is to have one vote. Action can be taken by the council only with a unanimous vote. Suppose the proposition ¶

is presented of declaring war. The man who represents the United States of America in the council, if asked to vote, must say in substance : "Gentlemen, under the Constitution of my country, only the Congress of the United States has the authority to declare war. I must, therefore, be instructed by the Congress of the United States before I can cast my vote." Thus will this cherished provision of our inspired Constitution remain inviolate. ¶

Success of the Pan-American Union

I was in Kansas City a week ago yesterday. I listened to an address by John Barrett, the Director General of the Pan-American Union. I believe this gentleman is a Republican. If I remember correctly, he came into political life when he was a comparatively young man by receiving from President Roosevelt the appointment of Ambassador to Siam. ¶

Before the International Farm Congress, Mr. Barrett said: "I desire to make it clear at the outset, that while I represent the government of the United States, by appointment from the President, I also stand before you as a representative of the same sort for all of the other American countries that belong to this Union." ¶

All the countries in the Western Hemisphere, south of Canada, twenty-one in number, belong to the Pan-American Union. The Canadians were practically in readiness, so this representative said, to join the Pan-American Union when war was declared and the • plans for so doing were temporarily upset. ¶

Mr. Barrett continued to speak in words like these : "We have regular meetings of the representatives of these twenty-one countries. When these representatives come together, they become acquainted, and thus they learn to understand one another. They present the views, the ideals, the desires, the ambitions, the trade and other interests of their respective countries. Getting thus close together, they arrive at a mutual understanding." ¶

He continued, "The significant fact I desire to draw to your attention is that, since the organization of the Pan-American Union, no country in the Western Hemisphere has been at war with another country in this hemisphere and on not fewer than six different occasions has actual war between these countries been averted." ¶

"Here in our own hemisphere," he continued, "we have a League of Nations in actual operation and I'm not sure but what this PanAmerican Union is itself a league strong enough to maintain the peace of the world." If one so well informed sees such hope for peace because of the successful operation of this comparatively little league of the Pan-American Union, how much greater — really how well founded — is the hope, the expectation, that permanent peace may come to the world if the proposed covenant of the League of Nations embracing, as it does, the great nations of the other hemisphere, is adopted. ¶