The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-08-15
ARrIcLE x
The Principle We Fought For.

Article X Of the League Constitu-
tion provides as follows; "The MEM
bers of the league undertake to re-
speot and preserve as against exter-
nal aggression the territorial integ-
rity and existing political independ-
ence Of all the members Of the
league. In case of any such aggres-
sion or in case of any threat or dan
ger Of such aggression, the council
shall advise upon the means by which
the obligation shall be fulfilled
The law of the league with the
sanction of the power Of the league
thus forbids the violation Of the in
ternational commandment, "Thou
shalt not steal by force 1t is The
embodiment of the principle that we
entered and fought this war TO main
tain. It is the answer to the Ger
man doctrine announced through its
philosophers, its military writer's and
its ayowed policies, that might
makes right3 1t is the denial of the
principle which Germany set forth
in the summing up of her whole i'm
perial purpose, that conquest by force
was essential to the progress of
Gods world, and that she was His
instrument in such conquest.
ELECTIONS Answered.
We are met by the objection that
the United States should not bind
itself not to extend its beneficient in
fluence in the work of civilization
through conquest Such obiectors
argue that in this way the United
States has extended its useful domin-
ion to the present borders Of Mexico
and to the Pacific ocean II this ar
gument is sound, then the United
States should certainly not enter the
league. If we yield to it, we ought
never to have entered upon the war
against Germany The argument rs
not in the slightest degree to be dis
tinguished from that Of the German
philosophers and military men whose
purpose Germany was carrying out
in this war. If the Improvement in
civilization and its spread are de-
pendent on war in it's present form,
involving for the future what is prac-
tically world suicide, then surely
mankind is in bad situation. Those
who support the league may well
leave to the people of the United
States an dthe people 70 the world
the decision whether they prefer
slower method Of improving Christian
civilization than by one which in
wolves the cruel destruction Of one
half the world in order to enable the
other half to get on
The second an dthe more persua-
siye objection which is urged to Arti-
Gle X is that it is likely to involve
us in wars all over the world, and to
require our soldiers to undergo suf-
fering and hardships and to give up
their lives in battles waged for re-
mote countries in whose welfare we
have but little interest It is said it
will prove to be a heavy burden, both
in life and treasure for our people.
How Obligation Is Limited.
In answering this objection, it is
to be noted that the operation of
Article X to increase the other obli-
cations of the league is comparatively
small.
Under Articles XI to XVIII inclu-
siye, provision is made for the peace
ful settlement of all threatening dis.
putes between nations by safeguard
ing action of the league, by arbitra-
tion, by mediation and recommends
tion of settlement, and by enforce
ment of covenants restraining war
until three months after such machin.
cry for peaceful settlement has fail.
ed. By Articles XVI and XVII a
breach of such covenants is to be
penalized by an immediate and uni
versal boycott of the covenant-break-
ing nation and then by such military
expeditions as the members of the
league shall determine necessary on
the recommendation of the council
uniess, therefore. the external aggres
sion in violation of Article X occurs
three months after attempts at peace
ful settlement under Articles XII to
Wv have failed, so that the covenants
cf those articles are not broken by it.
the penalizing provisions of Articles
XVI and XVII would apply to the
aggression, whether for the purpose
forbidden in Article X or not. In
other words, Article Y only increases
the obligations of the members of the
league beyond those of Article XVI
in respect of wars which do not vio-
late the covenants of Articles XII,
XIII or XIV Article X becomes prac-
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