The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-09-15
THE MAJORITY REPORT.

relations committee on the peace treaty IS now before the senate. From it, it seems apparent that the treaty has been regarded more in the light of political football than an instrument to insure future peace. It is significant that nine out of ten republican members of the senate were the only signers, while one repub- lican, Senator McCumber, and seven demo- crats refused to sign it.
 In an attempt to arouse public antagon- ism to the league of nations, it states that it is not league but merely an alliance, and asserts that it will breed wars rather thai prevent them The statement is unsupported by proof of any kind, but further down one might get the impression that such wars would be caused by the alleged abrogation of American rights and invasion of American sovereignty.
 It has yet to be shown that the sovereign ty of America has been invaded, or can be, under the covenant of the league of nations. No right of any nation is questioned But the rights of all nations are equally upheld, the small with the great, the weak with the powerful. In such league there is nothing but what is consistent with American prin- ciples and ideals.
 The majority report would have it fixed so that AMERICA could withdraw at any time from the league If America, why not any other or all nations? If such an under standing be incorporated into the covenant, the formation of the league will be almost i'm possible, and if formed powerless to accomp- fish anything as it would be impossible to en- force obligations on any member. By refus- ir7Cr to ho or+xy to Artic x tho majority in effect approves of the right of might Article X provides for the protection of the territory of member states of the league from foreign invasion. It is an effective guar antee that there will be no more Alsace LOT raine incidents.
 As was expected the report makes what capital it can out of the Monroe Doctrine It is right that the principle should be safe, guarded, but the peace conference has already looked out for that matter The British White Book, recently issued in explanation of the peace treaty and the league of nations cove nant refers to this phrase of the conference as follows:
 Article XXI makes it clear that the covenant is not intended to abrogate or weak en any other agreements, so long as they are consistent with its own terms, into which members of the league may have en- tered. or may enter hereafter, for the further assurance of peace. Such agreements would include special treaties for compulsory arbitration and military conventions that are generally defensive.
 The Monroe Doctrine and similar under estandings are put in the same category. They have shown themselves in history to be not instruments of national ambition, but guaran- tees of peace.
 '"The origin of the Monroe Doctrine is well known. It was proclaimed in 1923 to prevent America from becoming theatre for the intrigues for European absolution.
 "At first principle of American for eign policy, it has become an international understanding, and it is not illigitimate for the people of the United States to ask that the covenant should recognize this fact. In its essence it is consistent with the spirit of the covenant, and indeed the principles of the league, as expressed in Article X, represent the extension to the whole world the principles of the doctrine; *
 Even Senator Lodge should not want a better definition as to the attitude taken by the league of nations toward the Monroe Doc trine
 The Shantung peninsula, says the report, should be given to China instead of to Japan. Which amounts to saying that it was all very proper for Germany to have the Shantung concessions, but the United States will not ac- cede to them, reverting to Japan. Germany held her concessions in China from 18o7-o8 to 1914. During this time MT. Lodge was a member of the senate, and with the exception