The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-04-10
LEAGUE PACT
is CALLED
DANGEROUS
SCHE:N|NC
Senator Not Opposed to Prin-
cIple But Says League Pact
Means Surrender.

Before an audience of 1900
which completely filed the Gary
Theatre last night, when he gavs
IN detail his views on the proposed
league Of nations, James E. Wat
son, junior United States senator
from Indiana, criticised the plan
proposed by President Wilson as
dangerous scheme, which would
mean a surrender of sovereignty
by the United States and which
would be fruitful in breeding war,
instead of stopping it. However
he said, he was not against an in
ternatonal agreement of what he
regarded as the right sort.
Personally" he said, Il believe
that the great civilized nations
should effect a solemn agreement
in the world league to preserve
peace, but in SO doing each nation
should unquestionably reserve to
itself its right to regulate its own
domestic and national affairs. and
to pursue its own course with ref
erence to the tariff and immigra-
ton and its general eronomic
policy
FOLLOWED CLOSELY By HEARERS.
Senator Watson was listened to with
rapt attention. lie made a long address
and was warmly applauded. Chairman
John J. hiliigrew OF Crown Point called
the meeting to order and turned II oIcr
TO Mayor ". F. Hodges. The address
given by Senator Watson was free from
his customary oratorical fights
He made his talk as he said. as much
Of a non-partisan speech as it is pos
sible for partisan TO make. After his
address he was given an enthusiastic
reception at the Harrison Club
Senator Watson took the league ques-
tion point b. point. He was unalterab-
ly opposed to this nation being called
upon 10 settle every little dog fight com
ing UP in Europe
UNWAvEEIEC A1aERCANISM
II nder no circumstances would
: abolish nationaIism. or would cnter
INTO any scheme to weaken or mininniz,
the most thorough going and unua.el-
ing Americanism. declared the senator
in referring 10 the proposed league "G
hclicve that q practical internatlonalism
can he based on an intense nationalisn.
I the civilized nations entering into
I solemn compact to preserve peace and
prevent war. and do 50 BY force. Il r.
auired.
Treaties viii not be 50 lightly cen
sidcred IN the future as in tho pass.
Z These solemn cnga gements viii not b-
idly cast aside as scraps Of paper bu.
4 an international obligation Of that char
actcr can be entered into between ma
/ tons that VIII have a most salutory and
! wholesome effect upon questions of va1
and peace.
II have no objection to court Of
arbitration or a council of concilia zion.
! and ] believe that such a policy will
! largely tend to preserve peace. and at
/ the same time enable US 10 pursue our
/ domestic policies. as has been our ma
tional custom from the beginning.
Senator Watson took up each article
Of the proposed league in detaH, and
particularly denounced Article 10 say
ing Article n means war. war with
( out limit. war without stint. worldwide
war. and tho United states involve cd ia
it alL"
I TERRIToRIAL INTEGRITY.
This is the article which pledges the
contracting nations 70 preserve the ter
ritorial integrity and political independ-
once Of all the members Of the league,
and Senator Watson said such preserva-
ton could mean nothing else but war;
that "all the nations of the earth are 10
he placed in strait jackets. and that. e
necessary. ell Of our resources shall he
subject TO the call of the executive
council to keep them there for afi fI-
ture time"
In regard TO Article IL. Senator wat-
son said.
TO my mind. Article 10 Of the new
constitution is the most vicious. the
most illogical. the most un-Americau
and the most immoral ever presented "a
the American people. Six or seven gen
lemen no,v sitting in Paris arc dNing
the territorial limits OF the nations oi
the earth for All future time and arc
providing that the innumerable peoples
therin living shall never in the cen
turtles to come be permitted 10 change
their confines. which is contrary TO all
the lessons of history and all the teach
ings Of the past; and they likewise pro.
pose that new nations being created by
their fiat shall be placed in charge ol
certain other nations to be tutored pro
tected and guarded until they reaol
such stage Of civilization as TO be abb.
TO care for themselves.
''In other words. nations are 20 p.
parceled out and handed about at III,
wii of these gentlemen. their connue.
Continued on page eighty