Imperial Valley press., 1919-04-12
LEAGUE OF MA ATOMS
DEBATE AT BOSTON

a Previous lssue)
volumes published by Congress which
contain an account of our foreign
relations. The draft appears to me,
and | think to anyone who has eX-
amined it with care, to have been
very loosely and obscurely drawn. 1t
seems to me that Lord Robert Cecil,
who, | believe is principally respon-
sible for it, should have put it in
the hands of parliamentary drafts
man before it was submitted. A con-
stitution or a treaty ought to be in
legal, statutory or constitutional lam
guage, and not in the language Sc
locted for this PURPOSE.
The language of that draft is of
immense Importance, because it is
necessary that there should be just
as few differences of opinion as to
the meaning of the articles Of that
draft as human ingenuity can pro-
vide against No man, be he pres
ident or senator, can fix what the
Interpretation of that draft is.
The draft itself, the articles them
selves, should answer as far as pos
sible all questions. There is no court
to pass upon them. They would have
to be decided by the nine powers
whose representatives compose the
eXecutiev council. The people who
are for this draft of League and
those who are against it differ about
the construction Of nearly every ar
ticle. And, not only that, but those
who are for it differ among them
selves, and those who are against it
differ among themselves, as to its
construction. There will be differ
ences arising out of that very por-
Gus instrument. There will be diff
felences arising before a twelve
month has passed among the vary
nations that signed it.
Nh. Taft said on the 7th of March:
Undoubtedly the Covenant needs
revision. 1t is not symmetrically ar
ranged. its meaning has to be dug
out and the language is ponderous
and in diplomatic patois.'
| have said nothing about the draft
as severe or as well put and as thor
ously descriptive as that.
Lately the phrase has been much
used, especially when an answer was
not very easy, that criticism must be
constructive, not destructive. It was
a convenient way of answering aWk-
ward questions and evidently thos
who use it, and use it freely, have
never stopped to think that there are
some cases where criticism must be
constructive as we'll as destructive,
and some where it must be destruc-
tive alone. For instance, in discuss
ing slavery we criticise it in order
to kill. and we do. not expect that
4 substitute shall be offered for it.
If a burglar breaks into my house
and threatens the death Of my wife
and children, | should try if | could
to shoot him. That is destructive
criticism, and |. should not think it
necessary to precede it with a propo-
sition that he should engaged in
some other and less dangerous occu-
patton.
Redraft League in Plain Language.
Now this is q case where construc-
tive criticism is clearly needed, and
nv first constructive criticism in that
this League ought to be redrafted
and put in language that everybody
can understand. BY doing that you
will remove at once many causes of
differences and dispute. and you want
TIE instrument to diminish disputes,
and increase harmony, because its
purpose is to promote peace.
Another point which applies not
only to the necessity of clear and
definite language in the great instru-
ment, but to the whole treaty, or TO
any other treaty or any alliance or
league that we make, and this is to
remember this-that the sanctity of
treaties is above everything else i'm
portant. Whatever a country agrees
to- that the country must maintain.
The sanctity of treaties lies at the
basis of all peace. and therefore we
must be as careful as possible toI
remove all chances of disagreement
arising out of conflicting interpreta-
tions Of language.
As I have said. my first cOnstruc
tive criticism is that we should have
a revision of the language and form
Of the draft.
Now, in discussing the draft of
the League | can only deal with the
most important points. To analyze
those articles of that League as they
should be analyzed would take many
hours.
But l will speak of one point
which runs all through it, and that
is that there are so many places
where it saws that the Executive
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