Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-05-01
Is THIS COUNTRY A
WILSON CHATsTEL?

: The Republican publicity assocla-
! ton, through its president, Hon.
! Jonathan Bourne, Jr., Monday gave
out the following statement from its
| Washington headquarters:
Recent friction at Paris between
, the American and French delegation
| is now reported to have been smooth
! ed over entirely. The great cor
diality that is said to prevail is as
cribed to promise alleged to have
been given by President Wilson to
Premier Clemenceau chat if France
is attacked in the future the United
States will come to her aid. Pro-
lection from further German out
RACES is what the French have been
contending for from the first, and
with that end in view have advocated
the formation of an international ar
my that could be used in her defense
should the Germans ever recover
their strength and undertake once
more to carry out their designs upon
France. The Discrimination of the
other delegates to the peace confer
ence to create such force, and to
provide certain other guarantees of
safety to France has been the chief
cause of irritation between Clemen-
eeau and some of his colleagues But
it is said that all is now serene as a
result of Mr.. Wilson's promises.
But where does the president de-
rive his self-assumed power to obli-
| gate the United States in such man
| ner? His offer is nothing more or
| less than an agreement that Ameri-
| ca shall make war whenever some
other country takes military meas
ures against France. Whatever feel
ings of sympathy we may have for
France-and they are many and pro-
| found-it would be the height of un-
wisdom for the United States to en-
ter into compact to protect that
country by force of arms if she is
ever attacked from without.
But entirely aside from the mer-
its of such an obligation, the presi-
dent has not particle of authority
to enter into an agreement of the
character that he is reported to have
F, made. The right to declare war
rests with congress, and with con-
gress alone. No promise that Mr..
Wilson may make can be binding up
on the senate and house of represen-
tatives in the slightest degree. Such
an understanding between Wilson
and Clemenceau would scarcely be
included in the terms of the treaty
with Germany. 1t can retain only
its present status. that of a gentle
mans agreement, with not the
slightest FINDING effect upon con-
gress.
'Mnraovar ~ ayar tho tive ooy,a
when France stands in need of mil
itary assistance from the United
States Mr.. Wilson will be out of Of
flee and probably dead and buried
physically as we'll as politically.
What then becomes of his promise to
the French? The long and short
of it is that if the published reports
from Paris are true, Wilson has
handed gold brick to Clemenceau,
and has received in exchange the sup
port of the French delegates for
some of his own propositions.
The situation is one that war
rants very careful investigation by
congress. II the president of the
United States has agreed to plunge
his country into war merely because
another nation is attacked. entirely
without regard to the merits of the
controversy. or whether it affects the
interests of the United States or not,
then his conduct deserves searching
inquiry by the proper committee OF
the house. II. the facts are found
to substantiate the charge then ap-
propriate action should be taken to
uphold our republican form of gov
eminent. regardless of the effect of
such action on the individual who
occupies the White House."