The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-08-15

ance because English statemen saw
that it was intended to turn the alli-
ance-and this league is an alliance
into means Of REFRESHING internal
revolutions or insurrectfons.
mo revolutionary movement, no in
ternal conflict of any magnitude can
fail to affect the peace of the world.
Amy matter affecting the peace Of the
world is a very broad statement
which could be made to justify al
most any interference on the part Of
the league with the internal affairs of
other countries.
in Article 10 the United States is
bound on the appeal of any member
of the league not only to respect but
to preserve it's independence and its
boundaries, and that pledge, il we
give it, must be fulfilled. There is to
me no distinction whatever in a
treaty between what some persons are
pleased to call legal and moral obli-
cations. A treaty rests and must rest,
except where it is imposed under du-
ress and securities and hostages are
taken for it's fulfillment upon moral
obligations. The pathway or dishonor
is always open. But whatever the
United States agrees to, by that
agreement she must abide.
Fears Legacy of Wars.
"If the United States or any other
great country should refuse no matter
how suspicious the reasons, to fulfill
both in letter and spirit every Obli-
cation in this covenant, the United
States would be dishonored and the
league would crumble into dust, leav-
ing behind it legacy of wars"
Quoting press report that Bedou-
ms were attacking THE Kingdom of
Hedjaz, the senator pointed out that
HedjaZ was member of the League
whose integrity the United States
would guarantee to preserve from ex-
ternal aggregation under the coven-
ant.
Under Article H." he said, eff
King Hussein appeal to us for aid and
protection against external aggression
affecting his independence and the
boundaries of his kingdom, we should
be bound to give that aid and pro-
lection and to send American soldiers
to Arabia. l am unwilling to give that
right to King Hussein and this illus
trates the point which is to me the
most Objectionable in the league as
lit stands; the right of other powers
TO call out American troops and
American ships to go to any part Of
the world, an obligation we are bound
to fulfill under the terms Of this trea-
ty. l know the answer well-that of
course they could not be sent without
acton by congress. Congress would
have no choice if acting in good faith.
Regarding Article IS.
Let me now briefly pont out the
insuperable difficulty which l find in
Article 10. 1t begins-If there should
arise between members of the league
any dispute likely to lead to a rup
ture.'-' Any dispute' covers every pos
sible dispute. 1t therefore covers a
dispute over tariff duties and over
immigration.
"An immigration dispute or a dis
pute over tariff duties, met by the
procedure set forth in article Is,
comes before the assembly of dele
gates for decision by what is prac-
itIca1iy q majority vote Of the enfi7Fs'
assembly. That is something to which
/ do not find myself able to give my
assent. So far as immigration is
concerned, and also so far as tariff
duties, although less important. are
concerned, / deny the jurisdiction.
There should be no possibility of
other nations deciding who shall come
into the United States, or under what
conditions they shall, enter. The
right to say who shall come into a
country is one Of the very highest at
tributes of sovereignty. If a nation
can not say without appeal who shall
come within it's gates and become
part of its citizenship it has
ceased to be a sovereign nation. 1t
has become a tributary and subject
nation, and it makes no difference
whether it is subject to league or to a
conqueror."
The senator said the British dele
gates to the peace conference, in a
statement regarding the Monroe Doc
trine has asserted that should dis
pute arise as to the meaning of the
doctrine, "the league is here to set
tie it."
IL Ids occIucu " IllC,, uc SohIih-
ued, that the British delegation trav-
eled little out of the PRECINCTS of the
peace conference when they under
took to explain the Monroe Doctrine
and tell the United States what it
was and what it was not proposed tc
do with it under the new article.
What Monroe Doctrine Is.
1.-THE Monroe Doctrine was the cor
ollary of Washington's neutrality
policy and of his injunction against
permanent alliances. 1t reiterates anT
reaffirms the principle. We do not
seek to NEEDLE in the affairs of Eur
ope and keep Europe out of the Amer
icas. 1t is as important to keep the
United States cut Of European at
fairs as to keep Europe out Of the
American continents.
"It was purely an American doc
trine, a purely American policy, de-
signed and wisely designed for our
defense. 1t has never been an in
ternational engagement" No nation
has ever formally recognized it. 1t