Characters: Woodrow Wilson played by Tuyet Henry Cabot Lodge by Maddie Jeannette Rankin played by Claudia Script

HLMenkin:AndnowwejoinHenryCabotLodge,SenatorRankinandWoodrowWilsoninParis forcommentaryoftheincrediblyimportantVersaillesTreatynegotiationstoofficiallyendWWI.The topicupfordiscussiontodayiswhethertheUnitedStatesofAmericashouldjointheinternationalpeace group,LeagueofNations. M:Thanks,Menkin.Letmejustclarifytoallofthoselistenersouttherewhohavebeencoopedup insidetheirhomeformonths.WorldWarIisnearlyover.TheVersaillestreatyiscurrentlybeing discussedbyCongressaboutwhethertheywillacceptorrejectit.IncludedinthistreatyisaUS commitmenttojointheLeagueofNations.TheLeagueofNationsisaninternationalorganization dedicatedtobringingworldwidepeace.Inreality,however,theleaguewillbindtheUStotherestofthe worldensuringthatitdoesntbecometoopowerful.Americawillbeconfinedtoitscurrentlandleaving noroomforexpansion.IstronglyopposeboththeTreatyofVersaillesandLeagueofNationsunlessit includesAmericanreservationswhichgranttheUSagreatervoiceintheLeagueofNationswhen disputingAmericanissues.Withoutreservations,theLeagueofNationsisasocalledpeacegroupthat restrictsandangerssomanynationsthatitwillmostlikelyleadtowarintheendinanefforttostopit. C:I,ontheotherhand,agreewiththeintentionsoftheLeagueofNationsandhopethattheUnited Stateswilljoininordertopreventfurtherwars.AsapacifistIbelievethatwarasasolutionto internationalandcivilproblemsisirrationalandinappropriate.InmyessayOnWarandNonviolenceI wroteEverywarcreatestheopportunityforanotherwar.Wehavetobethebiggerpersonandstop indulginginwar.BydoingthisIhopethatothernationswouldfollowsuitaswell,eliminatingwar altogether.In1783ourfirstpresidentGeorgeWashingtonsaid"Itisyettobedecidedwhetherthe Revolutionmustultimatelybeconsideredasablessingoracurse:ablessingoracurse,nottothe presentagealone,forwithourfatewillthedestinyofunbornmillionsbeinvolved."Washingtonsaid whetherwarhashelpedorburdenedourcountryitsetsthestageforotherissuestoarisebetween nations.Itsthedominoeffect,youknockoneovertheyallfall,theUnitedStatesneedtobeableto standtheirgroundwithouttheuseofviolenceorwewillbeforeverinthechain.

M:Thatisfascinating...DoyouregretenteringWWI?EventhoughGermanywasplottingagainstus?

C:Idespisethesacrificingofhumanlifewitheveryegginmyuteruswhichislikeabillion.

M:So...(awkwardpause)...um..yeah..ovaries..ok...Movingon..Well,Ms.Raskin,howelse wouldwehavesolvedtheproblemwiththeGermans?Theythreatenedtodestroythefunctioning systemofourcountry!WastheUSsupposedtojusttryandpersuadethemtoceasetheirmissionof conqueringtheworld?

C:Weshouldvehadapeacefulandnonviolentconversationinwhichwediscussedourissueswith theirpreposterousbehaviorsandcometoareasonablesolutionthatwouldbenefitbothcountries. M:Howdoyouintendtodothiswhenthemenalongsideyouincongressallvotedforthewar?

C:Iseeallofthemenincongressasviolent,brutishpigs.Currentlyforeigninvolvementisthelargest factorchangingournationandifwedonthavepositiverelationshipswithothernationswewillhave manyenemies,toomanytoprotectourselvesfrom.WeneededsomethingliketheLeagueofNationsto workasamediatorsothattheUnitedStatesandGermanycouldvethrashouttheirissueswitheach otherwithoutlettingitgettoooutofhand.

M:SenatorRankinsthoughtsarepretty,justlikeher,butshefailstoacknowledgetheeffects PresidentWilsonsLeagueofNationswillhaveontheUnitedStates..TheLeagueofNationswill compromiseourbeautifulnationslibertybylettingothercountriesinterveneandtakeoverAmericaif necessary.Theywilldestroyus.Article10specificallystatesthattheUSwillenterinanywarregarding oneoftheLeagueofNationmembers.ThiswillforcetheUStogetinvolvedinforeignaffairswithout Congressapproval.

C:But

Sarah:StaytunedasPresidentWilsonjoinstheconversationafterthebreak...

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M:AndwerebackwithMr.PresidentWilson.Heiscurrentlytryingtocommunicatehisopinionthat theLeagueofNationswillcreatesomuchpeaceamongstallnationsthatrainbowsandunicornswill invadeournationandspreadtheirmagicpeacedustandridusofourfreedom.

T:IthinkIcanspeakformyself,thanks.And,no,rainbowsandunicornswillnotcometoournations, butgunsandGermanswhowantrevengewillifthisLeagueisnotcreated.

M:YoumustunderstandthatinorderfortheUStosucceed,shemustnotbeburdenedbythetroubles ofothernations.Othercountriesshouldnotinterferewithherwellrunningandalreadydemocratic system.Sheshouldbefreelikeaneagle.

T:AndIvehavesaidagainandagain,Weareparticipants,whetherwewouldornot,inthelifeofthe world....Wearepartnerswiththerest.Whataffectsmankindis...inevitablyouraffairaswellasthe nationsofEuropeandAsiaAmericaisnottheonlycivilizednationintheworld!TheLeagueof Nationswillcreateworldpeacebecausenowcountriesaretogetherandwellsolveproblemsasone. WWIhasunitedusandsoontherewillbenoneedforwareveragainnowthatwehavetheLeagueof Nations.TheLeaguewillhelpsolveinternationalproblemsandprovideaidwheneverthereisa problemtoouralliedmembers. M:Americaisthebestandmostsuccessfulnationinthisdysfunctionalworldofours.Ifyoudontsee thatthenyouareunfitgoverntheUnitedStates.

T:Wellthereareothercountrieswhohavemoreexperiencethanusandwemustdrawfromtheir experiencestohelpus.AndImunfittogoverntheUnitedStates?!ImalreadythePresidentofthe UnitedStatesofAmericaandwhatauthoritydoyouhaveoverme?

M:Irepresenttheviewsofthepeople!Nobodyinthiscountrybesidesyouissupportiveofthiscrazy monopolyofidealismfalselyportrayedasapeacegroup.

(Offstage/InwaitingroomClaudiachimesinumm...Isupportthiscrazymonopoly!)

M:Listen,folks.Beforeyouknowitinthislandofrainbows,unicornsandidealismSenatorRankinand therestofthewomenwilltrytostopthemenfromfixinginternationalproblemsthattheydonteven understand. T:Thatsnotentirelytrue...AndIvesaidbefore,Wherethegreatforcelies,theremustbethe sanctionofpeaceandarewenotoneofthegreatforcesintheworldanddeservepeacewhichwill bebroughtwiththecreationoftheLeagueofNations.

M:WellIvesaidthatOurfirstidealisourcountry...Ouridealofthefutureisthatsheshouldcontinue torender[services]ofherownfreewill.Shehasgreatproblemsofherowntosolve...andaright solution...wouldlargelybenefitmankind."Wemustfirstfocusonimprovingournationbeforewe concernourselveswiththeunsuccessfulcountries.AnyAmericanwiththeslightestbitofprideand patriotismforthiscountrywouldwantwhatisbestforAmerica. T:Andwhatifweneedtohelpothercountriesforthemtohelpussowecancontinuetorenderher servicesofherownfreewill? M:Americaisindependent.OrdoyounotrememberJuly4th,1776,whenourformerandmore competentleaderssignedtheDeclarationofIndependencethatwouldfreeusfromBritainandanyother country. T:AnddontyoualsorememberthatFrancehelpedusinthatwarforourindependence.Cantyou understandthatsometimesweneedothercountriestohelpwithourownsurvivalYOUSTUBBORN COW!

Sarah:Uhh..Andthatconcludesoursegment,Iguess.Tuneitnexttime.