South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-03

The opposition 70 the League OF
Nations IN the United States senate
has collapsed like house OF cards.
and the treaty OF peace. including
the League OF Nations covenant. will
receive the vote necessary 20 ratify
it. The campaign 20 discredit the
president abroad. convince the peace
ommissioners in Paris that the
United States did not want the
League. and that X incorporated in
the treaty OF peace Il would not be
ratified, signally failed.
Six months ago the republican
senators proclaimed that they had
enough votes 20 defeat the treaty.
Later. they confidently asserted that
they were strong enough to separate
the League covenant from the
treaty. as proposed by Sen. Knox
These claims have been abandoned.
Driven from position 20 position by
the force OF public opinion. these
republican senators have now cen
tered their fire upon Article 10 Of
the covenant and declare they will
eliminate Il from the treaty. The
best opinion maintains that when the
treaty Is ratified. the League Of Ma
tions covenant, including Article 10,
will be preserved intact.
Although the republican program
in the senate IS subject to change
without notice, It may fairly be as
sumed that the real contest will come
over Article 10. I invite the read
ers OF The News Times TO 4 careful
reading OF Article 10, because Of the
very serious charges that have been
made against H.
ARTICLE 10.
1.-THE members Of the League
undertake 10 respect and preserve
as against external aggression the
territorial integrity and existing
POLITICAL independence OF all mem
bers Of the League. In case OF
any such aggression or in case OF
any threat or danger of such ag-
erosion the council shall advise
upon the means by which this
obligation shall be fulfilled"
II is claimed amonS ether things,
that this article overrides the con-
stitution and constitutes a surren-
der OF American sovereignty. AS a
general proposition IL will be admit
ted that no treaty can amend the
constitution. for the very simple rea-
son that the constitution itself pro-
vides the only method by which it
may be amended. The treaty max
ing power Is derived from the con-
stitution. which is declared TO be the
supreme law OF the land. Likewise.
the laws OF the United States made
pursuant to the constitution and
treaties made under the authority
OF the United States, are declared
10 be the supreme law Of the land.
But. while statutes and treaties can
he amended by congress, the consti-
tuition. having been esta blished by
the people themselves, can only be
changed by the people. acting
through state legislatures or through
conventions called for that purpose.
While this proposition is not con-
troverted by the opponents of the
League. il is contended by them that
Article 10 obEgates the United States
10 go TO war when the territorial in
tegrity: or political independence of
a nation is assailed. thus in effect
taking from congress the power to
declare war. In brief. IL is contend
"a that the war-making power is
shifted from congress o the League,
and our sovereignty impaired TO that
extent
OTHER ARTICLES WORRY
LEAGUE OPPONENTS.
Let US examine this agreement for
a moment. 1t will be observed that
by Article 10 we. in common with
all other members OF the League,
agree to respect and preserve as
against external aggression the ter