Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-08
Monroe Doctrine Is Fully
Protected, He Declares,
Future Wars No Argument
Against Plan
BY II. p. BURTON

BY II. p. BURTON
NEW YORk.-"What the people
of the. United States must realize,
in making up their mind about the
League of Nations, is that the world
is going to have a League of Ma
tions substantially as President Will
son is now championing it, or it is
not going to have a League of Ma
lions at all.
This is the climax of the mos
sage given today by ex-President
william II. Taft in an interview on
why he has chosen to make a pub
lie fight for Woodrow Wilson's
league plan, in the face of. opposl-
ton by many leaders of his own
party.
"All this iteration and reiteration
by certain of it's opponents of an
impossible construction of the plan
for the League of Nations as now
drawn up is to blind the people to
the real issue at stake-Which is
whether we are to have any league
ut all or not" Taft continued. The
people should know that the infer
league platform are unwarranted-
that it's acceptance by us would
never affect our sovereignty, would
never make us SubSerVient to Great
Britain, would never make us mod
fly our immigration rules, nor af-
feet our commercial relationship.
If League Is Defeated
what these directors know, and
what L know, is that If this league
plan is defeated, any League of Ma
lions is defeated. The general plan,
as now drawn up, while only. re-
port, is a unanimous report, and 1t
is a document which has been whit
tied down until 1t represents the
is acceptable to all the nations rep
resented at Versailles.
PERSONALLY L would vote for the
league as it is, even if it could not
be revised in a few PARTICULARS in
which 1 believe it would be wen to
revise it. This is not because |
don't think with revision it will have
the same construction as it now has,
but because many are anXlously
concerned as to the meaning OF the
anxiety can be easily removed by
the introduction Of the more en-
press reservations and limitations
without affecting the useful struc-
ture of the league and it's real CHAR
acter and effectiveness.
as the League to Enforce Peace,
which I have been advocating. 1t is
not complete in it's machinery Iof
settling peaceab1y differences be-
tween nations. 1t is not as com
pIete in it's certain obligations on the
nations to furnish proportionate mil
itary forces to suppress outlaw ma
tons: o,-o ;,,,,oos,o.e ,
compound boycott so whitening IN el !
dare to court it's penalty. And il
has machinery by WHICH nations Tor ;
close and Immediately affected by
war begun by an outside natlon
will willingly contribute ml!ltafE
force to suppress it. and by which !. II
the war spreads, all members VIII
weld to the common obligatlon anc
n1eke their proper contributions.
Monroe Doctrine
But have no doubt that the MOL
roe doctrine would be enforced. un i
der this covenant quite as effect
lively as under a more Speclhc res
ervation. Nevertheless, it is of high
est Importance that the concern OF
the people of the United States IN
the maintenance of the sound prlncl-
fully satisfied in order that every
yestige of opposition should fade
q wav and we should not run the FISK
of losing the benefit of the great for"
ward step toward peace, the hope
not only of the world, but OF TINS
country-certainly the greatest steE
ever taken in the recorded history
of international relations.
at have no doubt the action OF the
executive council of the league
which, excepting in one or two IN
stances, is advisory and not q body
| of final decision, must act unanimous
| ly to act at all unless expressly 9TH
erwise provided. The same thing Is
true of the body of delegates, but II
| a specific provision of this kind viii
relieve us from objections, L favor
| inserting it.
the period during which the obliga-
| tions of the league are to continue
binding, there is no limitation.
would define a definite perlod-say
| ten years with two years notice, &c
withdraw for any state wishing 1t:
"It would also be wise to provide
for a revision of the limitation of ar
maments every three or five years
| with a view to another agreement. J
| advocate this, not because L zeal
| these obligations would be held tc
be perpetual. but because I think the
va Var i states. in absence of such
| limit, might hold they could with
draw any time upon reasonable no
| tice.
Construction Must BE Reasonable
ut should be observed tnefe is nc
supreme court to construe the obi
cations of this document except al
the nations together by. agreement
| Therefore, the construction must be
reasonable, because if it isn't, il
won't hold; and it's most unfair to
assume, in respect to it, construc-
| lions strained to make it mean some.
thing unreasonable in order to de.
feat it, when in actual practice il
must needs have a fair and moderate
construction for the benefit of all.
The present unfair, broadside con
struction of the league advanced by
it's opponents, which puts us in the
league. under the control of a super
sovereign (the executive counciD
would give me great anxiety as t.
! the result and would create grea
Impotence at the misleading effec
of representation it produces as t
what the league really is, were i
not that the covenant. as part of tn.
| to the senate as a unit document.
| The question will then recur a:
TO whether we are to have peace will
Ibo will fhnr1 ba in If