The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-17
WILL NOT SUBVERT
u. S. CONSTITUTION
Declared Senator Colt To-day in Support
of the League of Nations-The Unit
States Must See the Plan
Through.

Washington, D. c., July l7.-Announc-
ing his support of the principles embod-
led in the league of nations covenant,
but withholding judgment regarding
certain reservations, Senator Colt, Re-
publican, Rhode Island, told the Senate
to-day that the nation must at least
see the great undertaking upon which we
have embarked in entering the war
through to the end, which can be done
only by our becoming a member of the
league"
The Rhode Island senator declared
himself unable to agree with the obiec-
tions that the league would create a SUI
per-state or subvert the American CON
stitution He said, however, that the
Monroe doctrine must be clearly safe
guarded and domestic questions left for
national action.
"The league nj its essence is simply
an association of free nations" he said.
The principle of international co-opera
tion as the means by which international
peace can be made secure has never been
tried before. All other means of pre-
venting war have failed. Not to try this
experiment would leave the world in the
same condition of international anarchy
as it was before the war,
"If we believe that it would be dis
honorable to withdraw from Europe at
this time, to desert France. England and
Italy in this critical hour when the
whole world is in a turmoil, then the
United States should certainly remain in
the league during this world settlement
and until peace and order are restored.
81 believe the great mass of the Amer
ican people are convinced that some
thing must be done to prevent future
wars. | am in favor of the principles
embodied in the league of nations This
does not mean that | have reached de-
cision that the league should be ratified
in the precise form in which it is now
presented.
"There has been much controversy
over the question whether the league
should not be separated from the peace
treaty | have always believed the
league to be inseparable from the peace
treaty because the treaty cannot be en-
forced except through the league.
"The provisions Of the league with re.
spect to arbitration or investigation and
report have been criticized as not strong
enough but they clearly win tend to pre-.
vent war. As to the general objection
that the league creates a super state and
hence is destructive of our independence
and sovereignty, l am unable to see the
force of the arguments in support OF
this proposition.
"Nor am ! impressed with the consti.
tutional objections. The treaty making
power under the constitution is of the
broadest character and it includes every
thing that is properly covered by the
term treaty and is not in conflict with
some express provisions of the constitu.
tion.
81 believe the popular sentiment is uni
versal, and certainly share it, that the
Monroe doctrine should be clearly safe.
guarded | also believe that domestic
questions, like immigration, which in
some of their aspects may be interna
tional, should be properly safeguarded
The storm center of these reservations
seems TO be article ten. As to the re.
tention Of this article much may be said
on both sides.
upon the question of reservation,
reserve my judgment for further discus
sion and consideration.