New-York tribune., 1919-03-12
DIR. Henry c. van Dyke Says
1t Is Americas Duty to
Join With Other Nations
Councils Power Limited
EN-Prcsident Introduced bv
Morganthau at Dinner
of the Economic Club

William Howard Taft, again voiced
his approval of the covenant Of tho
league Of nations at the dinner of the
Economic Club in the Hotel Astor la
night. Resides praisng the league
plan, Mr.. Taft criticised arguments
against it delivered recently by Sena-
tor Knox. The Rev. Dr. Henry c. van
Dyke also spoke in favor of the cove
nant.
In introducing Mr. Taft, Henry
Morgenthau said:
Il present to you q formerly hated
bureaucrat, who is now champion
Of the people
MIR. Morgcnthau then called for
three cheers for "the President, the
ex-Prcsidcnt and the future Prcsi-
dent
And he added, you will be cheer
ing only two people,
81 do not know said MIR. Taft in
reply. "what the toastmastcr means
by a hated bureaucrat' But think
that his judgment in that regard S
as good as his prophecy
Duty to Enter League
DR.. Van Dyke in his address said
that the Hague Conference failed of
It's purpose because Germany refused
TO put its force behind it. He asked
if the new scheme was also to fail be
cause America held back, and assertcd
that it was the moral duty of the
country to enter the league
Let the Constitution be amended.
if necessary" he added "Thcre is
nothing sacrosanct about it and no
body has claimed that we must bow to
an idol"
He continued by saying that the
United States could not afford to stay
out of the league and that if it did
stay out it would be grand, gloomy
and peculiar, like the Senator from
Idaho"
1--WE Will be the only nation taking
stand alongside Germany that war is
biolog cal necessity that cannot be
avcrted," he asserted.
Councils Power Limited
Mr. Taft, in part. said:
"Whon Senator knoX's attack upon
the validity of the covenant is an
alyzcd, it will he seen to rest ON an
assumption that the Executive Council
IS given executive power which is un-
warranted by the text of the covenant
The whole function of the Executive
Council is to be the medium through
which the league members are to eX-
change views, the advisory board to
consider all matters arising IN the
field of the leagues possible action
and to advise the members as to what
they ought by Joint action to do. The
council makes few, if any. orders Dlnd-
ing on the members Of the league
"Whcrc the executive council acts
as a mcditating and inquiring body to
settle differences not arbitratcd, its
unanimous recommendation of set
tlcmcnt must satisfy the nation seek
ing relief, if the defendant nation
complies with the recommendation
These arc the only cases in which the
United States as member of the
league would be bound by action of
the executive council All other OBJ
legations Of the United States undel
tho league arc 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 KnoX's indict-
mcnt falls. The executive council is q
most necessary and useful body fol
coordinating the activities Of the
league, for initiating consideration BY
the members of the league Of thcil
proper joint and individual action
and for keeping all advised Of the
progress OF events in the field Of the
league Jurisdiction
knox's Statements Criticised
"l' is impossible in the time have
to follow through Senator knox's
league But his treatment Of Article
XVI is a fair illustration Of the reasons
he advances for ascribing to the eX
ecutive council supcr-sovereign power
Article XVI is the penalizing section
Whenever a member of the league
violates its covenant not to make wal
under Article XII, it is an act Of wan
against the other members, and they
arc to levy a boycott against the out
law nation. The executive council is
given the duty Of recommending what
forces should be furnished by mem
bers Of the league to protect the cove
nantS OF the league. ne members are
required to allow military forces OF
members of the league cooperating tc
protect the covenants passage through
their territory.
"Of this article Senator Knox says
off any of the high contracting par
ties breaks its covenant under Article
XII then we must fly to arms to pro
tect the covenants.' Again, he says
of it; Whether or not we participate
and the amount of our participation
in bclligerent operations is determined
not by ourselves. but by the Executive
Council, in which we have seemingly
at most but one voice out of nine >
no matter what we think of the con
troversy, no matter how we view th'
wisdom of war over the cause, W.
are bound to go to war when and il
the manner the Executive Council de
termines.'
No Direction or Command
Again, Senator Knox says the powe
Of the Executive Council is that o
recommending what effective militar.
or naval forces each member of thu
league shall contribute to protect th'
covenants of the league, not onl.
against league members, but non
league members that is, as n prac