The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-17
TAFT'S ADDRESS
ON NEW LEAGUE
Former President Predicts
Senate Will Ratify Con-
stitution as Adopted
in Paris.
GREAT ADVANCE MADE
Approval and Congratulations of
American People Due Wilson
for Success of Peace
Congress.
GREAT ADVANCE MADE

United Press Leased Wire Service J
PORTLAND, Ore, Feb. 17-For-
mer President VIM. Howard Taft to-
day in a set speech predicted that
the senate would ratify the great
covenant of Paris" He characterized
the objections of some Of its oppo-
lnents as "reactionary."
| ''On the whole, we should thank
God that such great advance to-
wards the suppression of war and
the promotion of permanent peace
has been taken as in the agreement
on this constitution" he declared.
Taft addressed the Northwestern
Congress For Lea que of Nations.
SIS it possible that feature Of the
treaty upon which fourteen nations,
through their representatives at
Paris, agree is to be defeated by the
lack of the necessary two-thirds in
our senate? I think not" Taft said.
tor Poindexter that the constitution
minimizes the sovereignty of the
United States, Taft said:
-'That is a reactionary doctrine
that belongs to the German view of
the state. It leads directly to the
proposal that might makes right,
Taft said in part ~
"When President Wilson returns
to present the result of his visit to
Europe it must be that the Ameri-
can people will welcome him with
approval and congratulations upon
the success of the congress in which
he has taken SO prominent part.
'In the presidents addresses and
messages during the war and since,
he promised to the harrassed people
of the allied nations that the United
States would press for a league of
nations which should secure perma-
nent peace when this was ended.
Thus he revived the morale Of the
war weary soldiers and workers of
our allies. These promises were not
repudiated by any American when
they were made. They were re-
ceived in all the appeals to the
American people and they found
ready response among them and no
protest.
"The nation is thus pledged to the
idea of league of nations to rem
der peace permanent Good faith re-
quires that what other nations are
willing to undergo to secure the
peace Of the world, we should our
selves be willing to assume. Only
now after the war, after the reaction
that the ending of the war brings
and after impatience at the delays in
reaching peace conditions do we
hear on the floor of the senate the
criticisms Of a league of nations.
'If uttered during the war they
would have been out of tune with the
overf1owing spirit of the American
people and their determination to
win this war and the possibility of
any such war in the future. Now do
we hear the claim. that we did not
go into this war FOR the benefit of
the world but for our own selfish
purposes.
Senator Poindexter attacks the
eighth article of the consultation of
the league on disarmament as follows:
'0The provision is unconstitutional
and an impairment of the sovereignty
and independence of this country"
Congress, under the constitution.
determines what our armament shall
he: and therefore 1t is quite true that
even if we made en- agreement, con-
gress would retain the constitutional
power of violating that agreement and
increasing the arament beyond the
limit; but that does not prevent the
treaty making power from entering in
to the obligation. It is not transfer
of sovereignty-it is only an agree
ment to limit our Qualifications and
cur means of attacking in considera-
ton CT other nations doing the same
The most famous agreement that we
have made On this point is the agree
rient we have made with Great Britain
i5y which we agree not to fortify the
boundaries between Canada and the
U. 8. or to place war vessels on the,
lakes.
"That agreement is OF one hundred
years standing, and has been praised
by every statesman who has referred
to it.
"Tlle most extreme position OF Sen
ator Poindexter is that U. s. cannot
consent to arbitration of issues be
tween it and other countries because