Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-05

enemies just across the border from
them, can agree to limit armament,
why cannot We?
Again, is it not rather absurd and
humorous for us to be so sensitive
now in respect to the proportionate re-
duction Of the armament under the
general pan, when never in the his
tory of the country have VIC had an
adequate armament at the beginning
of any war or until we coud make hasty
preparation for that war? venture
to prophcsy that if the league is rati-
fed and tho agreement to disarm is
made, and the limit fixed for us. we
shall never reach that limit until war is
on us and that limit imposed will not
constitute the slightest embarrassment
to Congress.
Conference at Hague
again. the emperor of Russia sum
moned conference at the Hague, and
one of the chief purposes of that con
gross was to secure a mutual and com
mon limitation of armament among the
nations of the world, and it was pre-
vented by the ohdurate refusal of Ger
many to give the slightest support to
such a proposal. Our own delegates
were instructed to press in favor of it.
The public opinion of this country un-
doubtcdly supported that instruction.
Now these objectors propose that we
shall take the place of Germany BY
our refusal TO join in common limit of
armament. and so defeat the purpose
OF the league. So much for the first
step in the covenant.
Second Step in Covenant
The second great step forward in
volved in this league of nations is
Article y, by which the members of the
league undertake to respect and pre-
serve the territorial integrity and the
political independence of all its members
of the clague. This. in effect, is an or
ganization of the united power of the
nations of the league to maintain and
preserve an international commandment,
Thou shalt not seal" 1t is the union
of the nations to suppress the spirit
of conquest which led Germany to drag
this world into the awful war through
which it has just passed. It is the Of
fective answer of the nations to the Ger
man declaration of principle that
might makes right 1t is the protcc.
ton of the smaller nations against the
spoliation of them by the larger and
more powerful nations. It is the heart
of the league. and it is the effort of the
world of law abiding nations to defeat
forever the greedy purposes of German
militarism. whether of Germany or any
other nation.
Article 12 of League
The third great step forward in the
league is to be found in Article MI.
and the following. in which provision is
made for the peace settlement of diff
ferences between members of the league
by arbitration or by mediation. through
the council or the assembly. and a
covenant of the nations not to begin
war until after the machinery for set
tling differences peaceably shall have
been tried and failed and until three
months after an award by arbitration
or unanicous report of recommends
ton of settlement by the mediating
body. which is the council or the as-
sembly, and failure to comply with
either.
Open Diplomacy
1.-THE fourth great step forward is
that compelling open diplomacy. All
treaties made between nations are to
conform to the obligations of the mem
bors of the league. and future treaties
are not to have effect until they have
been recorded in the secretariat of the
league. In this way the cards are to be
! played face up on the table. There arc
/ to be no secret agreements between ma
! tionS, but each nation is to know what
! the obligation of other nations is. Sc
cret treaties, secret cntentcs have in
| the past been fruitful of wars and in
tcrnational injustice. They are thus to
be abolished.
Not a Stacker Nation
we are not a Stacker nation and we
don't intend to be. We helped fight
this war. Our Allies had been fighting
for three years before us before we
Joined the war. Then we came in and
! helped them win it. Our intervention
was necessary to win the war. but our
obligation to our Allies for WHAT thev
did for us continues. and it will bc n
weak and disloyal policy on our part if
! Just when it was necessary to rcap tho
| fruits of the sacrifices and efforts of all
the nations, we withdrew and failed bv
our withdrawal to clinch the purposcs
of war
There is no transfer of sovereignty
under this league to the council or
the assembly. The council only rec
! Ommends and proposes and advises. II
does not command or direct or order.
The chief attacks upon the league rest
entirely on the claim that the word
recommend means to command.
and that the word advise means to
direct, and that the word propose
means to order This is an utterly
unwarranted and strained construction
of the league which every fair minded
man should see. The obligations Of the
| United States and the other nations
under the league itself are not fixed by
the council
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine Is specifically
recognized by all nations as regional
understanding in the constitution of the
league by a provision that nothing in
the league shall affect it. This is the
! first time in the history of the doctrin.
| that the Monroe Doctrine has been rec
ognized by the world as a customary
convention. 1t is great achievement
! for us