Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-18
LEAGUE FOES
ARE HARDH|T
BYM'CUMBER.
G.. o. P. Senator Says En-
emies Wilfully Hide the ,
Truth About Pact.

Washington, June 18.-Declaring
that opponents of the league of
Iations have conducted a campaign
of Misrepresentation and distor-
ton, Senator McCumber of North
Dakota, a Republican member OF
the foreign relations committee.
told the senate today that the
league covenant offered the only
prospect of preventing future and
more terrible wars.
Replying to arguments Of many
Republican senators, he upheld
the league as entirely consistent
with the American constitution and
devoid of any ability TO dangerous
Iy entangle or curtaii American
interests.
Says Pact is Misrepresented.
"In 20 years of service in the
senate" said the North Dakota
senator, Il have known but one
instrument whose terms have been
so wilfully misrepresented and so
grossly misrepresented as the COW
enaIt of the league CT nations.
That some of it is vague, l know,
and some portions Objectionable
from particular viewpoints. But
that it discriminates against US, is
unfair in its treatment of our coun-
try. or that it imposes on US any
obligation or burden that is not
equally borne by every other ma
ton 1 most emphatically deny. 1t
is regrettable that ths mighty pow
er of eloquence is used to doom
and distrust the true meaning of
an instrument, the most important
that ever appealed to the heart or
the soul of man.
Refusal Means New War.
Suppose we now refuse to join
with the rest of the world in some
scheme to prevent war, what will
happen? AS surely as the sun
shall rise, every great nation will
proceed to devise means for the
Wholesale destruction of nations
So desperate will be the next war
that all the hate and all the venom
created by this struggle will be in
finitesmal compared with the next.
And against what race will all
these weapons of death be used?
Against the white race"
AuSheES
Quoting the decision of Senator
Johnson, Republican, of California,
that America, by virtue of her iso-
lation does not need the European
powers "as partners" Mr.. McCum-
ber said isolation had long since
broken down, a European conflict
having cost this country in the past
five years $4,000 lives and $45,000,-
100000.
There is no moral duty incum-
bent on any man in his relation to
his fellowman," he continued, that
is not equally incumbent upon a
nation in it's relation to every other
nation. What would you say of
the strong, vigorous man who
would stand on the shore and see
woman struggling in the waves
while he, folding his muscular
arms announces oh, that is no
concern of mine, she is not my wife
or daughter
"'Oh' say opponents of the
league of nations, We can make
I'D our minds what to do when the
occasion arrives What l want US
to do is to be right on the spot
when the occasion arises. Had
the United States been right on the
spot with an agreement signed by
us and signed by Germany, that
Germany would not make war on
France or any other country with
out submitting to a league of ma
tions the question of the righteous
ness of her cause, the world would
have been spared this awful con-
f1agration.
"Of course, not one of US would
have written this covenant just as
it has come to US. But this cove
nant represents the deliberations
of nations. 1t deals with complex
situations. 1t comes to US a conf
promise compact And to secure
the support of this country spec
iaI concessions have been made
to US. Our Monroe doctrine is by
this instrument given world
sanction.
Assails False Charges.
THE members of the league un-
dertake to preserve the territorial +
integrity only against external
aggression. It has been asserted |
and re-asserted in all the false at
tacks on this instrument that the !
United States would be compelled |
to help Great Britain to preserve !
domains against her own interna- /
tional revolutions and rebeIlions. |
Nothing could be more false. 1t !
is only against external aggression |
that the league assure its protec- !
tion.
The members of the league agree |
to the reduction of national arma- !
ments. We have preached the reduc- |
tion of the ornaments for years. |
Now present to me, if you can, a /
better or safer plan than that pro-
vided in this treaty, or else ac-
knowledge frankly that we never |
to conform our acts to our
declarations.