Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-06-21
Indiana Author Ridl-
cules Arguments OF
Ex-U. S. S e n a t Q r
from Indiana At
tacking League to
Enforce Peace -
Says Be everid d g e
Doesn't Understand
League or It's Pur-
pose
(By Booth Tarkington)

Senator Beveridge. in his brilliant
and patriotic speech at Indianapolis
on Memorial Day. incidentally at
tackled the League to Enforce Peace.
He calls it an old project, not Of
American origin; and he says that
if league of nations to enforce peace
were formed, and we were part of it,
and if the league should fail to I'm
pose it's will upon the world, we as
member of it would be bound, for all
T! the future, to take part in any war,
wherever waged, that the majority Of
the league decided upon. Upon an
alysis this danger may be faced
without UNDUE symptoms of panic.
The league Contemplated would con-
sist of the United States Of Ameri "a.
the British Empire, France. Italy,
Austria Hungary. Spain. Japan, Por-
tugal, the Netherlands. Belgium,
Denmark. Norway Sweden, Brazil.
the Argentine Republic. Russia, Bul-
garia, Servia, Rumania, Greece.
China. Cuba. Switzerland. Venezuela,
Bolivia Paraguay, Uruguay. Mexico,
Colombia, Panama. Ecuador, Chit.
Costa Rica, Nicaragua. Guatemala.
Salvador, Abyssinia. Siam. Persia,
Afghanistan, Tibet. Montenegro. Lii
IBERIA. Turkey some other countries,
and Germany.
/ If this league should fail to impress
! its will on the world senator Bey-
cridge says, we would be bo:und to
take part in any war the majority Of
4 = ~ lan~
words, if the world should fail
to impress its will upon itself,
we would be bound to take part
, in any war the majority of
the world decided upon. That is to
say. we would be bound to do our
share in policing & refractory men,
Der of the league who declined 10
that is how order in civilization is
maintained; and such a consumma-
ton is one devoutly to be wished.
\ World Is Changing
\ The Senator declares that league
I of this nature never would have done
in the past. He is quite right; tie
world was not ready for it. or fit for
it. a war on tuberculosis never would
have done in the Middle Ages.
Neither would child labor laws or
scientific penal systems. We are
getting these things now, nc sever;
and we are getting some of them
through the enlightened struggle
which Senator Beveridge made for
them.
The Senator says: Suppose gov4
crnment entered the league" That
is not part Of the design. The league
will consist of al me people of all
the nations. 1t VIII not consist Of
an alliance between a few foreign of
/ fees. The Senator says. Suppose O
government . is confronted by a
revolution that threatens it's exist
ence. would il not have a right to
expect assistance from the govern
mcnts associated with it? No. not
from governments associated in a
tions. The Senator is here making
up d league = ohje' TO: he is nut
+ objecting to the league contemplated
by the people h is attacking
The Senator says, The control Of
our canal, built through our terri
tory by our money would be
taken out of our hands" No. If an
other country wanted to take over
the control of the canal it would have
the world.
\ Monroe Doctrine Would Not Suffer
I The Senator says. Under the re-
gime of the league TO enforce peace
every European and Asiatic govern
ment would have as much authority
over the policy of tho Monroe Doc
trine as would the nation itself" The
only effect of the league upon the
Monroe Doctrine would be that any
ration attacking us on account of
that doctrine would hav, to fight not
only US but the rest of the world as
we'll
/ The Senator says: THE league
would take out of our hands
the settlement Of vital American
questions and put the disposition Of
them in the hands OF foreign ma
tions." No such league is contem-
plated, except by the Senator.
4 IlS ,OttidtOl OpJSClS Tic
! is not of American origin. Neither
were the Pilgrim Fathers.
| ITO become a member of the
| league" says the Senator. we shall
/ have to destroy one of the most vi
tai parts of the American Constitu-
| tion-that which gives to Congress
I the sole power to declare war; No,
That is not necessary. The league
proposes that war shall neither :le
declared nor made by any govern
ment. If the United States went TO
{ war against the rest of the world
I Congress could declara war, il Il
wished to. The Constitution does not
need to be changed for this. I DO
( not shoot my neighbors; but there is
nothing illegal in my keeping an old
rife, relic Of SO, in my attic.
! The Senator'S Chief Error
! Senator Beveridge is not really at
tacking the League to Enforce
reace" that he believes he is attack
ing. He believes he is attacking
that organization which held a cor.