Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-11-11


might be called a diplomatic situation
allow me to tell YOU as briefly as
can the kind or league of nations be-
lieve ought to be created. We ought
TO agree that all Justiciable or arbi-
trable disputes which arise between
our country and any other shall be
submitted to arbitration or the jddg-
ment OF an impartial tribunal, and We
ought to agree to abide by the award
or Judgment. The proposed league OF
nations has such an agreement In It,
and am very much in favor of pre-
serving 1t. Furthermore. we ought ~
agree that If any dispute arises which
Is not arbitrable in its character we
Will not go to war on that account for
a reasonable period and that in the
meantime we should meet face to face
the other nations of the earth and
frankly and fully discuss the dispute
in the hearing of the whole world. The
! proposed league of nations contains
that agreement and presents that OPP
portunity. and in my opinion 1t is al
together the most valuable part OF the
instrument. 1t is clear to me that flu
|
| unknown II all the considerable nations
Of the earth were represented in a
meeting and the causes and conse-
quences of the threatened war were
frankly debated with the people OF the
world looking on and l want to pre-
serve this helpful provision. 1t may
| be remarked here, however. that II the
dispute is one which relates to our
domestic affairs there ought to be no
action on the part Of the council OF ma
tions for that in my judgment would
tend rather to bring on war than to
prevent it. IL.
Again, have always been an advo-
cate of disarmament. I realize that
disarmament must be general, sinful
taneous and progressive, and am not
wholly satisfied with the, provisions OF
the covenant in that regard, for they
seem TO me to be ineffective, but new
ertheless the covenant proposes q step
in that direction and am in favor OF
taking it. ] hope that eventually we
may go further, for it is my profound
conviction that an unarmed world is
the only guarantee of peaceful world.
These are the parts of the league OF
nations which from my point OF view
are good, and am doing my best in
every word that ] utter and every vote
that cast to preserve them.
now turn to those provisions which
in my judgment are bad and which
must be eliminated SO far as we are
concerned, if the instrument is to be
q. q
with the Institutions OF the United
States.
AS the covenant was written in
Paris, the league through its council
or its assembly would have jurisdiction
and would consider substantially all
Of our domestic affairs. and while it
could not command what we should do
in the government Of our own people
in any given case, it could recommend
our course and upon our failure to fol-
low the recommendation it could turn
the whole world against us, either thru
the use Of armed forces or thru an
industrial and commercial boycott. 1t
Is impossible to imagine anything
more mischievous or more likely to
result in war than 6his jurisdiction.
Within the limits Of arletter can noe
enter upon a detailed argument of the
various articles of the covenant which
bring about such a situation. You
must be content for the present with
my statement that after months OF
careful study and conclusion have
just announced seems beyond controv-
ersy.
Article 10 of the covenant, II ac-
copied by this country. binds US not
only TO respect but to preserve against
external aggression the territorial.
integrity and political independence Of
all. the nations which become parties
to the league. for all time to come. |
am opposed to this pledge. for 1t I'M
poses upon Us a duty which a con-
scientious and moral people could not
and would not perform. The men OF
the United States will never fight In
a cause which they believe to be un-
Just. 1t is impossible to look forward
thru the years and determine at this
time whether in any given case the
territorial integrity and political In
dependence of any given nation should
be preserved. 1t would inffct burden
upon America in taxation that might
become intolerable. It Is morally
wrong to enter into a covenant which
assumes that the various sovereignties
of the earth as they may exist at the
time the treaty is ratified are soVer-