Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-07-11

Its an old saying and a true one,
that there are two sides to every
question The one way by which we
are most likely to attain the conclu
sion nearest right and determine the
best course to follow, is by consider
ing both sides of a question.
Much publicity has been given 10
the League of Nations by those who
are sponsors for it and in favor of it.
1t has been heralded as a League
Tor peace" But the press of the
country have for some reason given
very little publicity to the other side
OF the question and to the arguments
presented by those who have anddo
oppose the idea of the United States
becoming a member of such League
We are publishing herewith an analy-
sis of the covenant of the proposed
League by articles presented by the
Republican Publicity Association
through its president, Hon. Jonathan
Bourn Jr., of Washington, D. C.
We do this that our readers may
have the opportunity of considering
both sides of the question that is of
vital Importance to this and every
other nation in the world.
The caption of the article is
"Americanism with Peace or Inter-
nationalism With War?
The stock argument of the propon-
ents of the covenant for league of
nations has been that the undertak.,
ing will prove an instrument for world
peace. Tn v have even gone so far
as to characterize it as a "league of
peace" and its opponents have been
denounced as preferring war, as try
ing to make politically capital at the
expense of the peace of the world
and as putting obstacles in the way
of the future happiness of mankind.
Going before the people with their
pleas to support the league if they
wanted peace, the league advocates
have won many individuals to their
cause who have accepted the state
ments of the agitators at their face
value without troubling themselves to
zee if they were borne out by facts.
But take the peace cry away from
the league advocates and there Is
nothing left on which to base their
claims for support of the covenant.
The whole structure of the league
is centered about the idea of compul-
sion. Starting with council of the
representatives of nine states, really
| dominated by three nations, or two
| if the United States stays out, it is
proposed to subjugate all the rest OF
the world to its will. The very es-
sence of the covenant is force, to be
exerted on any nation which, in the
opinion of the council is not comport-
ing itself according to the rules laid
] down in the covenant and interpreted
by the council.
The covenant bristles with limita-
tions and restrictions on independent
natonalism that will prove a constant
| irration to countries accustomed e
determine their own alars free from
foreign interference. Almost every
! 7rticle in the covenant, save those
that deal purely with administrative
4 time, has in it the essentials TO
the creation of friction likely to leaC
to war between nations; in fact, som'
/ # them not only tend to war; bu
make war automatic and compulsory
i Article /, in defining the methot
4 of withdrawal of a nation from tn
league, says that two years notic
must be given of the intention t
|. withdraw, and even then permission
will not be granted unless the council
by unanimous vote decides that tina
nations league obligations have beel
fulfilled. Under those conditions tn
United States, once in, would be com
PEELED to remain a member by inter
national force of arms if necessary i
japan or Greece or Spain chose t
make US do so.- The resentment o
! red-blooded Americans to coercio
: from such sources would inevitabl
lead to war.
Articles 2 and are purely admin
: istrative-
!, Article A states that each membe
of the league shall have one vote i
. the assembly. Here again is a fruit
J full source of irritation. Liberis
Cuba and Panama owe their very ez
istence to the United States. whic
set them up as independent nation
and has acted as a potential guarant
: or if their integrity ever since. Her
the creator is controlled by its cres
tions, which are given three time