The Irish standard., 1919-05-24
MAKE HASTE SLOWLY.


With the Sixty-sixth Congress called in special
session the League of Nations covenant will soon
engage the deliberations of the Senate, whose "ad-
vice and consent" are made by the Constitution a
necessary element of the treaty making power
With the Republicans in control of both houses the
situation assumes greater interest if possible
than political change had not taken place in the
complexion of the Congress- Inevitably the
discussion OF the peace compact will thus be en-
tangled with the matter of partisanshp for the cleo
ton of 1920 is too close at hand to permit of such
an important debate divested of party considera-
tons and policies. This, however may not prove
to be OF any serious disadvantage in the matter of
handling the covenant And it will surely have
exhaustive study of that epochal departure from our
national policies on the part of its proponents as
we'll as OF its adversares 1t promises an analytical
scrutiny OF the text of the covenant that might not
be possible. under the preponderance of the party
OF the President where the desire to go along" on
the party program might be the controlling feature
of the deliberations. There can be little doubt
that the American people convinced of the fact
that the acceptance of the treaty is matter on
which we afford to make haste SLOWLY
So multfarious are the issues involved that it is
impossible to say which of them are most likely to
engage American criticism whether official or other
wise. Indeed it is not improbable that in the course
OF the discussion many new points will be brought
up that have hitherto escaped with but casual no
tice. But it is reasonably that Articles x, XVI
and XIV of the Covenant will command profound
study and deliberation.
Article X would bind to Respect and PRE-
SERVE as against external aggression the terri
torial integrity and existing political independence
OF all nations members of the League"
Under this Article therefore we are to guarantee
not only Siam and Persia and South Africa and all
such possessions of Great Britain and other empires
against attacks, but to guarantee the integ-
rity, for instance, of the British Empire in all it's
possessions, encircling the globe and constituting
about one-fourth Of the habtable world even though
their possessions be held in UNWILLING AND
SUBJECTION BY MILL
TARY FORCE!
This Article would, if adopted, entange us in the
quarrels OF the forty-one nations of which the
League is composed and with those of many
more nations which may be added to its member
ship in the future. And if we were not. actually
summoned to fight in these distant lands we would
be at least bound to give support to the fnan-
c1al and economic measures necessary to execute
the judgments of the Council of the League which
consists OF nine nations including America.
Article XVI is closely related to Article x, for
it gives power to the Council to regulate the guam
tum of military and naval forces the members of
the League shall severally contribute for the pro-
lection of its Covenants Its potentiaities for mis-
chief to America quite easily discerned. The
effect OF these two articles has been summed up
tersely in the statement, "Thou shalt not stea but
you may keep what you have stolen"
Article XIV purports to exclude such questions as
immigration and the tariff from the jurisdiction of
the League but the clause is vague and indefinite
that cannot be said to be adequate to effect such
exclusion This Article therefore is likely to evoke
strong objection in the Senate.
1t is incumbent upon America to realize as fully
as possible beforehand the obligations and liabi-
ties, whether material 81 moral whicht is proposed
we shall assume under the League pact The old
maxim, lin multitude of counsel there is safety,'
applies apty to the situation. Let us make haste
slowly
AMERICA SHOULD HAVE A FREE HAND IN
WORLD POLITICS.
1t is not to be regretted that the League of Ma
tions covenant will be submitted for consideration
to United States senate under the majority control
of the party in opposition that of the executive
department. OF the government. To the president is
treaties. and the power vested in the senate is re,
strcted that of advice and consent to the treaties