The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-05
TAFT ON LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Covenant Is indispensable to

from either a selfish or a world point |
of view, no higher duty was ever laid
upon the United States than now at
this critical juncture in the worlds af-
fairs to unite with the nations with
whom it has won this war in arms
and brought Germany to her knees,
to keep her in the suppliant attitude
and save her and Europe from the
chaos and despair of further war and
| the inevitable triumph of Bolshevism.l i
| There must be the united force of al
| league of nations to stabilize condi-
| tions and hold them until the new ma
| tions created for the purpose shall
have the strength with which they can
| play in making the treaty of peace eff
fective.
| U. S. Needed by World.
'If it be said that the European ma
] lions should unite in league to main
| tain these independent states and set
tie the difficulties arising between
them and the older states in the sphere
of war and in resisting Bolshevism, it
! is sufficient to say that the with
drawal of the United States from the
league of nations will weaken it i'm
measurably."
The united force of league of ma
| tons is necessary to stabilize condi-
| tions already in progress between war
| born powers lacking self-restraint
and not comprehending the scope of
| their powers"
Mr.. Taft saw no threat against the
Monroe doctrine in the league cove
nant under which, he said, America
would take the initial steps and prob
ably would be in charge of repressive
| action in cases of violation on the
American continent. European men,
berS would attend to Europe and Ash
attic mem bers to Asia, unless a conflict
of such seriousness developed that the
peace of the world was endangered.
Yet the Monroe doctrine itself, he
| declared, was subject to limitations. In
some speeches in the senate, he added,
"intimations have been made which
enlarge this doctrine beyond what can
be justified
Aid in Control of Europe.
Mr. Taft said:
Il would have no objection, and
would favor recognition of the Monroe
doctrine, and l have stated it above,
by specific words in the covenant, with
further provision that the settlement
OF purely American questions should
be RENTED primarily to the American
nations with machinery like that of the
present league, and that European ma
tons should not intervene unless re-
quested to do SO by the American ma
tons. The European nations desire
our entrance into this league. not that
, | they may control America, but to Sc
cure our aid in controlling Europe, and
! think they would be relieved if the
primary duty of keeping peace and
policing this western hemisphere was
relegated to US and our western coll
leagues I object, however, to such a
reservation as was contained in The
Hague conference against entangling
alliances, because the recommendation
was framed before the demonstrations
of this war and contains reservations
as to the so-called policy against en-
| tangling alliances that are inconsistent
with the needs of this nation and of
| the world
After reminding his audience that
no critic had offered a Single con-
| structive suggestion in the way of a
substitute plan, Mr.. Taft entered upon
a discussion Of the legal aspects of the
project. The proposed covenant, he
said. was nothing more than a con
tract for the benefit of the contra citing
parties. 1t created mo super-sover-
eighty" he maintained, "only that
sanctioned by international law"
The first important covenant with
reference to peace and war in the
constitution of the league" he con-
tinued, ''is that looking to a reduction
of armament by all nations.
THE importance of providing for a
reduction of armament everyone rec
ognizes 1t is affirmed in the newly
proposed senate resolution. Can we
not trust our congress to fix a limi-
| tation safe for the country and stick
to it? If we can't, no country can
| Yet the rest are anxious to do this
They are far more exposed than we.
Boycott a Weapon.
Mr.. Taft took exception to the ar
| gument that membership in the league
might force upon the United States
arbitration of the japanese immigra-
ton question. He said it was pre-
posterous to assume that all the Other
| nations of the world would unite
their military forces to compel us to
receive Japanese immigrants under
the covenant. Why should they no1
do so without the covenants?"
The former president asserted thai
the league provision prohibiting wal
until three months after an arbitra
ton award or a recomm endation o.
| compromise was "the great restrain
upon war imposed by the covenan
upon members and non members
He showed how the penalizint
lclause, subjecting the covenant break
ing nation to a boycott of it's com
mercial, trade, financial, personal ant
official relations with other countrie
would be a powerful internationa
weapon for the enforcement of peace