Henry Cabot Lodge on the Treaty of Versailles

In this recording, Massachusetts senator Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1924) makes a patriotic argument against joining the League of Nations.

"The Independence of the United States is not only more precious to ourselves, but to the world, than any single possession. Look at the United States today. We have made mistakes in the past... but nonetheless, is there any country today on the face of the earth which can compare to this in ordered liberty, in peace, and in the largest freedom?
....
Contrast the United States with any country on the face of the earth today, and ask yourself whether the situation of the United States is not the best to be found. I will go as far as anyone in world service, but the first step to world service is the maintenance of the United States... an American I was born, and American I have remained all my life. I can never be anything else but an American, and I must think of the United States first; and when I think of the United States first, in an arrangement like this, I am thinking of what is best for the world. For if the United States fails, the best hopes of mankind fail with it.
I have never had but one allegiance; I cannot divide it now. I have loved but one flag...
Internationalism, illustrated by the Bolsheviks, and by the men to whom all countries are alike... is to me repulsive. National I must remain; and in that way, I, like all other Americans, can render the amplest service to the world. The United States is the world's best hope, but if you fetter her... you will destroy her power for good, and endanger her very existence.
....
Strong, generous, and confident, she has nobly served mankind. Beware how you trifle with your marvellous inheritance, this great land of ordered liberty. For if we stumble and fall, freedom and civilization everwhere will go down in ruin."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Lodge
• recording
• Senador
• SENATORE
• ETATS-UNIS
• Völkerbund
• Folkeforbundet

[khattamshud]

wow... our accent has degraded so much in 100 years... it's sad.

[murphycline]

This was never really the general accent in the States. If anything it's a Boston Brahmin accent.

[RealBigLittleTim]

"La-di-da" Lodge was often criticised for sounding like an Englishman during his lifetime. It's strange, as he was a bit of an Anglophobe in his politics; a real "America First-er", as shown in the subject of this speech.

-Tim

[admiraljello]

It certainly wasn't a general accent, but senators in general (and not just on the east coast) did cultivate a more British-sounding elocution all the way up to the 50s or so.

[philomelodia]

This was the accent that issued forth from the mouths of some of the greatest luminaries of American literature. Thus did Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry Wordsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson pronounce their English. To someone who is a great fan of literature and a linguistic hobbyist besides, it is a gemm of a video. Imagine the pros of Emerson read with this accent. Incredible!

[haasxaar]

i agree - language in general is much degenerated