Show 1 I I I 0 0 I The l Presidents President's Veto r I II l I Message I O c- c o 0 oThe The Presidents President's messa message e follows To the House of oC Representatives es I return herewith without m my signature signature sig sig- nature House joint resolution 27 7 In Intended intended In- In tended to repeal the Joint resolution of April 6 G 1917 declaring a a. of war warto warto warto to exist between tho the United States und and German Germany and ana tho the Joint resolution of ot December 7 7 l 1017 lj declaring a a. state of ot war ar to exist colst between tho the United States and the tho Austro government and to declare a state of ot peace I have not felt at Hbert liberty to sign this Joint resolution because I cannot bring myself myself my my- self sol to become party to an action which would place Ineffaceable stain upon tho time gallantry and honor of the United States The resolution seeks to establish pea co with the German empire em era- pire piro without exacting from Crom rein tho the German German German Ger Ger- man government o an any action by way of oC setting right the infinite infinito wrongs s which it did to the peoples whom It at attacked attacked at- at tacked and whom wo wa profess it our purpose to assist when wo we e entered tho tIm J iLL Si L U LIL LUU LLAU U CS UL UI more than Americans and ru ruined ruIned ru- ru ined med the tho lives lI of or thousands of or s and brought upon thousands of oC AmerIcan American Amer Amer- ican families an unhappiness that can c-an never end for tor purpose which we wc do donot donot not miot now caro care to state or take further steps to attain Time Tho attainment of or these purposes is IB provided for in the treat treaty o of Versailles by terms deemed adequate by hy the leading statesmen and experts of or all nIl tho great reat peoples who were associated In tho the war against Gorman Germany Do we now not notre care re to join In the effort to secure them Entered tI War ur Reluctantly We e entered the tho war most relue- relue tautly Our people were profoundly disinclined to take part in iii a European Euro luro- war an and at lust last dl did so only be- be causo they convinced con that it could not with truth bo be regarded as aJ asa asa a European war var but must be regarded as a war In which civilization itself was wa involved and human rl rights of or every ClY kind as against a belligerent government o Moreover when we wo en entered en- en tho the war wo we set et forth orth vcr very definitely dot dot- tho time purposes for which we 0 en entered en- en partly because e we dl lid did not wish to be considered as aa merely taking part partIn In a European contest This TIlls joint resolution res ros- which I return does not seek to accomplish h any of or these objects but butIn butla In la effect makes malee a complete surrender of or tho the rights of or the Unit United cd States so 80 far as aa the tho German government is concern con con- cern cernedA ed A 45 treaty of or peace was signed ned at Versailles on the tho of June last which did seek to accomplish tho the o ob objects ob- ob we wo had declared to be In lii our minds because all the th great governments govern So ments and peoples which united against ag Germany had adopted our declarations declarations dec dec- of purpose as their own and had in solemn form embodied them In I communications to the tho German government gov gov- preliminary to tho armistice or of November 11 11 lOiS 1918 But the tho treat treaty as ag signed at Ver Versailles has been r rejected re re- by tho the Senate of tho thu United States though it has been ratified by Germany German B By that rejection and b by its methods wo we had In la effect declared that we wish h to draw apart and pursue pursue pur- pur sue suo objects and Interests of oC our own unhampered by nn any connections of ot Interest in interest interest In- In terest or of oC purpose with other gov gov- and peoples Resolution Notwithstanding tho the fact that upon 1 our entrance Into the war we professed to b be seeking becking to assist In tho the maintenance main maln- of or common interests nothing is said in this resolution about turf thiS freedom of ot navigation upon the seas seasor or the reduction of or armaments or the vindication of ot the rights of or Belgium Bels or the time rectification of ot wrongs done Ilono to France or the release of or the tho Christian populations of tho the Ottoman empire front from the tho intolerable subjugation which they have Im had bad to for T so o man luau many generations generations generations genera genera- genera genera- to endure or the establishment of an Independent Polish state or tho continued maintenance of oC an any kind of or understanding among the great groat powers of the tho world which would bo be calculated to prevent t in lu the future futuro such 4 outrages as Germany Gennan attempted and andIn andIn In part consummated h Wo Vo have now In effect declared I that we do not caro to take any further fur tur ther thor risks or to assume an any further responsibilities with regard reg to freedom freedom free free- dom doni of oC nations or tho the sacredness of ot In International in- in obligations or tho the safety act of ot independent peoples Such a a. peace with a. Germany Germany-a a. a peace in which none of tho tim essential Interests which we wedad c chad had dad at heart when we entered tho the war warIs warIs c Is safeguarded Is safeguarded is or ought to be be in inconceivable inconceivable in- in i conceivable able Is Inconsistent with the tho dignity of the United States with tho s rights and lI liberties of ot her citizens and a b with the tho very fundamental conditions of or civilization t tl I t hope that In these statements I l have e sufficiently t sot ot forth tho the reasons rea rca sons Bons why I havo have felt It incumbent upon mo to withhold my signature WOODROW WILSON Tho White House Ma May 1920 |