Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-22

States itself. One paper goes 30 TAR -
inquire In headlines Arc Peace League
Advocates Traitoys?" In support OF this
contention ono writer cites four provis-
ions Of the Constitution Of the Unttea
States which the Leagues proposals are
said to violate. These are the familiar
ones by which tho Constitution gives
Congress the power to declare war. raise
and support armies, guarantee TO the
states republican form of government
and protect them against Invasion, ana
which give the President the power 20
make treaties with the consent OF the
Senate. and which provide that treason
against the United States shall consist
only in levying war upon it or adherins
to its enemies. All this is very amusing.
The writer Of the article points to these
constitutional provisions as II he mad dis
covered them. He seems to think that
such distinguished jurists and publicists
as William Howard Taft, Judge Alton
b. Parker, Judge George Gray. Governor
Herrick, John Bassett Moore, President
Lowell, President Hibben. Oscar 5.
Strauss, Jacob M. Dickinson and others
are unfamiliar with them. He seems like
little Jack Horner, who sat In corner
He puts his thumb into the Constitution,
draws out four plums and says: What
a brave boy am l.! There Is nothing IN,
the suggestion. The League to Enforce
Peace does not propose to establish an
International Police to which the United
States shall contribute its quota OF SOL
diers. It does not propose to deprive the
President and the Senate Of the right to
declare war. The objections to an Inter
national Police have been well pointed
out by President Lowell, one of the fore
most founders of the League, in his artl-
Gle in the Atlantic Monthly, and in other
places. No one Of the League. so far as
know, entertains the idea of such
police force. To be Of any value against
great nations, 1t must be of magnificent
strength to be kept and maintained
somewhere in the world subject to the
orders of some court, council or tribunal.
Such an organization in this stage Of the
worlds history is unthinkable.
THE proposals Of the League are en-
tirelyz simple and easily understood.
They are that the United States and as
many others of the great powers as will
unite with US at the end of this war
shall agree that they will not go to war
with each other without first having
submitted the cause Of war to a court. if
the question involved is judiciable, and
all other questions to- council Of con-
Citation; that in case any one of their
own number goes to war against another
of the signatory powers without such
submission, they all will Immediately use
their economic and military force against
the aggressor, and finally that they will
seek by conferences among themselves to
formulate and codify rules of interna-
tional law. Such an agreement with
other nations by the United States must
be ratified by the Senate just as any
treaty is ratified. In case of violation by
any one of the signatory powers, war
can be declared only by Congress as pro-
vided in the Constitution. The nations
are not to bind themselves to contribute
quotas to any international police, but
will establish such armament and such
armament only as each may determine
upon and such as they would maintain
in any event. 1t is not proposed that the
decisions of the court or recommends
tons of the council should be enforced.
The nations are not yet ready and very
likely will not be ready in years to come
to submit interests which they deem vital
to the decision of any tribunal made up
in large part of non-nationals. The
League, for instance, does not ask the
United States to agree that it will abide
by the decision of such tribunal con-
corning the Monroe Doctrine, or our title
to the Canal Zone, or our right to the
Philippine Islands. Neither would other
nations submit questions which they
deem vital and agree in advance and in
any event to be bound by the decision of
non-nationals. 1t is not proposed to at
tempt the impossible. But it is proposed
to attempt to secure the adhesion of as
many great powers as possible to con-
vention prohibiting them from going to
war until after they have told in the
presence of the world what their sriev-
ance is; until they and their own people
have heard the other side: until every
argument and shred of evidence has been
spread before mankind and until they
have had time for the blood to cool and
have the enlightenment of judicial de-
terminate or the advice of council
made up of jurists and men of affairs
The main object of the League is to Sc
cure delay and consideration before
bloodshed.''