The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-03-13
Borah Points Out Danger in President
League of Nations

In his great speech in the senate in
opposition to the league Of nations,
to which editorial reference was made
last week.. Senator Borah quoted from
Washington and Jefferson to show
that the league is opposed to the the
cry Of our government and that its
adopiion would rob the United States
of it's national sovereignty. Taking up
features Of the constitution Of the
proposed league, he showed the great
disadvantage in which our country is
placed and pronounced the document
the greatest triumph Of English d.
plomacy in three centuries Senator
Borah said in part:
The League Covenant.
we come now to the constitution OF
the proposed league of nations, which
has been submitted to us. / shah not
undertake to go into details; indeed,
time would not permit to take up the
many different phases which this con-
stitution presents for consideration
want only to call attention TO some
features of it bearing upon this par
ticular subject matter--that Is, the
effect 1t has upon these two great pol
icies.
The mere reading of the constitu-
ton of the league will convince any
reasonable mind, any unprecedented
mind, that If put into effect the policy
of Washington and the policy of Mon
roe must depart The propositions are
irreconcilalble and can not exist to-
gether In the first place, the league
provides for an organization compos-
ed principally of five great nations,
three of them European, one Asiatic,
and one American, Every policy de-
termined upon by the league ana
every movement made by it could be,
and might be, controlled solely by
European powers, whether the matter
dealt with had reference to America
or, Europe. The league nowhere dis
tingushes or discriminates between
European and American affairs. 1t
as another. 1t compounds all three
continents into single unit, so far as
the operations of the league are con-
cerned. The league interferes in Eu-
ropean affairs and in American az
fairs upon the same grounds and for
the same reasons, If the territorial
integrity of any member of the lea
que Is threatened or involved. whether
ope, the league deals with the subject.
If II becomes necessary for the league
to act through economic pressure, or
finally through military power, al
thougfe the procedure may be voted
by European powers alone. 1t may ex-
ert that pressure in America the same
as in Europe. The very object and
purpose OF the league Is to eliminate
all differences between Europe and
America and place all in a common
liability to be governed and controlled
by common authority. Ii the Unit
ed States, for instance. should disre-
gard its covenants, as provided in the
league, 1t would be deemed to have
committed an act of war against all
other members of the league; and
under our solemn obligation and
agreement we would have authorized
the European powers to wage wal
against us and upon the American
continent. And yet men deliberately
and blandly state to the American
people that this league constitution
preserves the Monroe doctrine and the
doctrine given us by Washington.
1 read from article 10 as an illus
tration:
1.-THE high contracting parties shall
undertake to respect and preserve as
against external aggression the terri
torial existence and existing political
independence of all states members of
the league"
Take for illustration one of our own
associates and allies, England has pos
sessions in three, continents. AS has
been said, the sun never sets upon her
possessions. They dot every sea and
are found in every land She today
holds possession of one-fifth of the
habitable globe, and we in article 10
guarantee the integrity of her pos
sessions in the three continents Of the
earth.
So, Mr. President, the first obliga-
ton which we assume is to protect
the territorial integrity of the British
empire. That takes us into every part
of the civilized world. That is the
most radical departure from the
Washington policy. ! will come to the
Monroe policy in a minute. Now, how
are we to determine that?
''In case of any such aggression or
in case of any threat or danger of
such aggression the executive council
shall advise upon the means by
which the obligation shall be fulfilled"
Does that mean what it says, and
is it to be executed in accordance
with its plain terms? If the territor-
ial integrity of any part of the British
empire shall be threatened not the
congress of the United States, not the
people of the United States deter
mines what shall be done, but the ex-