Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-10
PRESE RVATION Of
INDEPENDENCE IS
ISSUE PRESENTED
Proposed Constitution of the
League Of Nations Our
Rights to Self protection
Would Be Taken From U.s.

ESPECIAL Consequences TO MORNING JOURNAL
Washington, March 9.-The repub-
lcan publicity association. through
it's president, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr.. today gave out the following
statement from its Washington head
quarters: ... ...
Preservation of American nation
al Independence Is the issue present
ed by the proposed league of nations.
All else pales into ms 'gnificance be-
fore the ominous cloud that has risen
over the eastern horizon and that
threatens to destroy all that Ameri-
cans have cherished and fought for
during their life as an independent
nation. If ever there was a time in
the history of the United States for
every real American to rally to the
support of his government it is now.
We were told, and it was a fact, that
the German menace of 1917 was the
greatest catastrophe that ever inn
pended over our liberty-that If Ger
many won in her contest with the al
lies of Europe she would then turn
her attention to America and substi-
tute the will of despot for the pop
ular form of government under which
we have prospered and been happy.
But. even if we had not entered the
great war when we did We would
have had at least the satisfaction OF
putting up a fight to the finish be-
fore yielding to be ground under the
Teuton heel.
But the dangers of German inva-
sion were slight when compared with
the perils that confront the republic
today. Our president, elected by the
people 30 support and defend the con-
stitutional government bequeathed to
them by the fathers, returns from
Europe with a so called constitution
of league of nations. The docu-
ment, according to Mr.. Wilson him
self was drawn by the British repre-
sentatives at the international meet
ing at which it was adopted. Similar
papers prepared by the American,
French and Italian delegates We're
cast into the discard, and the Eng
lish plan is urged upon congress and
the people as the one we should en-
dorse and become a party to.
Under its terms our Independence
of legislation, of action, and even our
right of national self-protecton are
to be taken from us. Bound in adj
vance by our agreement to the re-
strictions upon our liberties imposed
by the new constitution we, as ma
ton, are to be handed over to the
tender mercies of a council of the
league composed of nine members. In
GLIDING representative of the Unit
ed States. The vote of those nine
delegates is to decide the fate of
America in all matters that may arise
in the future to disturb our national
peace and welfare. Not only are we
called upon to surrender our right to
determine our own affairs according
to our own standards, but We are to
assume the burden of settling the dis
putes of other nations the world over,
and to join with other members of the
league in the enforcement of those
settlements. In plain language we
are called upon by our own president
to cease existence as an Independent
nation and to become merely a state
of a world federation subject to the
will of central governing body con-
trolled, eight to one, by nations ieal-
Gus of our marvellous prosperity and
rapid rise to world power, and eager
to seize every opportunity to accom-
plish our overthrow and their own
advancement.
'In 1851 the country was threat
ened with division into two repub-
lies. The challenge, was met and de-
feated at a huge toll in life and
treasure. But at the worst the Union
and the Confederacy would have con-
tinued to exist as separate and indie
pendent states of the world. Now
both North and South, joined again
into one independence loving coun-
try, are called upon to surrender their
sovereignty and yield to the yoke of
European and Asiatic domination. 1t
is a crisis the like of which we have
never faced before. Although the
republican party is destined to lead
the fight for national liberty, Amerl-
cans of all faiths should rise as one
man against the cowardly abdication
| of principles for which our forefath-
ers did not hesitate to lay down their
lives" ~.