Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-13
KNOX'S ARGUMENTSlN
 OPPOSITION TO PLAN
 FOR LEAGUE ANSWERED
Taft Analyzes Statements of Senator and Declares He
 Is Wrong
CBy Review Leased wtrel

| NEW 1Ohk, March 12.-AnalVZine
 Senator Knox's objections to the pro posed covenant of the league of na tions, former President H. Taft, in ar address here before the Economic club, declared that the covenant does not transfer the sovereignty of this nation to the governing body of the league, which Senator Knox asserts the executive council to be-
 When Senator Knox's attack upo. the validity of the covenant is an alyzed, it will seem to rest on an as sumption that the executive council is ] given executive powers. which is un warranted by the text of the cove nant, said MT. Taft The whole func | ton Of the executive council is to be the medium through which the league members are to exchange views, the advisory board to consider all mat ters arising in the field of.the leagues possible action and to advise the mem bers as to what they ought by joint action to do.
 Few Orders Binding
 The council makes few if any or ders binding on the members or the league. After member of the league has agreed not to exceed a limit of armament, the executive council must consent to raising the limit Where the executive council acts as a mediating and inquiring body to settle differ ences not arbitrated, it's unanimous recommendation of a settlement must satisfy the nation seeking relief, if the defendant nation complies with the re- commendation
 These are the only cases in which the United States as a member of the league would be bound by action of the executive council All other obli- gations of the United States under the league are to be found in the cove nants of the league, and not in any action of the executive council When this is understood clearly the whole structure of Senator Knoxs indict- ment falls"
 Explains Article XVI
 MT Taft asserted that Article. XVI. the penalizing section, does not re- quire members of the league to make war against the nation violating this section. MT. Taft added that "an act of war does not produce a state of war unless the nation acted against chooses to declare and wage war on account of it. The executive council" !" he said, '-is given the duty of recom- mendinS what forces shall be furnish ed by members of the league to pro tect the covenants of the league"
 Quoting Senator Knox as stating that the executive council was vested with power to declare war, MT. Taft continued:
 '.I submit in all fairness that there never was a more palpable non sequitur than this. I venture to think that were Senator Knox charged as secretary Of state with construing the obligations of the United States un- der this covenant, he would on behalf of the United States summarily reject such construction, unless the words used make such delegation clear.
 Article VIII provides that the exc cutive council shall determine for the consideration and action of the several governments, what military equipment and armament is fair and reasonable in proportion to the scale of force laid down in the progam of disarmament formulated by it, and these limits, when adopted, shall not be exceee without the permission of the executive council This leaves wholly to the governments the acceptance or rejection of the pro- posed limitation.
 Armament Question
 Senator Knox says that as this re- cOmmendation will be made with the consent of our representative on the council. we shall be in honor bound to accept the limit and bind ourselves. It is difficult to follow this reasoning. The body which is to accept the limita- tiOn is the congress of the United States. Why should the congress Of the United States be bound by a repre- sentative selected by the president to represent the United States in this function, in respect to a matter of great importance under the control Of congress.
 That the United States shouIu recognize the wisdom of a reduction of armament under a world plan for it seems manifest The history of com petitiye aTmaments, with its dreadful sequel are too fresh in the minds of the peoples of the world not to recog- niZe the wisdom of an agreed reduc- tiOn.
 By what manner of reasoning can the world recommend be converted into a word of direction or command? Yet upon this interpretation of the of the words recommend advise and words of like import, as they occur in many articles, depends his whole argument as to the powers of the executive council under the covenant and their super-sOvereign." REVIEW WANT ADS FOR RESULTS