Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-27
THE PURPOSE
ARTICLE XVI
Sanctions Behind Obligadons

sanctions Behind Obligations
Tho world war has brought home
the need of having behind fnterna-
uonal obligations a sanction thai shall
make them a binding force. instead
OF mere honorable engagements
without Articles x and XVI the Lea
que would be no more than an agree
ment ON the part OF the members that
they would do right, with no compul-
SION Tor those that broke faith. These
articles make 1t a real association to
maintain and enforce peace.
The two articles must be read to-
getner. To a large extent they cover
a same ground. and provide for the
same contingency, Article XVI de
caring In part o the obligations of
Article x are to be carried outSand
yet they do not wholly coincide,
cases may arise which bring one of
them into effect, but do not touch the
other. II, for example, an arbitral
award. let us say on a question of i'll
treatment of citizens. is made in favor
OF one nation with which the other
Tails to comply. the first may, to COM
pei compliance, attack the second
without incurring the penalties of Ar
ticie AVl, because it Is not reSorting
TO war in disregard of it's covenants.
But the first nation would not be at
liberty to destroy the independence or
annex the territory of the second
n would entail the obligation of
Article x On the other hand, a wal
Tor The same u begun without sub
mission to inquiry would be a yio-
iation OF Article XVI, but not of Ar
ncle x If 1t did not involve the in
legrlty or Independence of the coun-
try attacked. This was true of our
war in 1912: and on the same princi-
pie President Roosevelt took the
ground that hostilities by European
nations to collect claims against Ven-
ezueia did not violate the Monroe Doc
trine III no annexation of territory or
destruction of Independence was con-
templated.
Works Automatically
Article XVI declares thai If auy
member of the League should resort
TO war in disregard of its covenants
1t shall ipso facto be deemed TO have
committed an act of war against all
other members of the League, which
hereby undertake Immediately to SUBJ
Ject 1t" to q boycott and blockade. and
to do certain other things. Now it
must be observed that this sanction
is automatic on the part of the mem
Ders or the League. In case Of q re-
sort to war contrary to the Covenant,
they undertake Jointly and severally
TO subject the offending nation to the
pIeScriDeu penalty 1mmediately-nOt
II and when directed by the Council.
That body has no power to order or to
release the obligation which is made
by the members, not with 1t but with
n another as n mutual guarantee. If
france, for example, should be at
lacked by Germany, she would have A.
rlght to call upon rs, and all the other
members of the League, to sever all
trade and intercourse with Germany.
N we should be bound by the Cove
nant to do whatsoever the Council
might think. The obligation is abso-
lutte, and the Council has To
40 with the matter. except to recon-
memo what, IL any, military and naval
forces the members of the League
shall severally contribute.
The members of the League agree
mat an attack made in disregard OF
the covenant ape any one OF them
snallsbe-deemed an act of war against
all or them. This, while justifying anv
OF them IN going to war with the ag-
gresser.- doessnot .0blige them to do.
so; but they do agree to subject n
70 treufment closefy akin to war: and
also to give TO any OF their number
tnat is actually engaged in the war aid
thar sy International law is given onIv
TO q co-beliigerent- They aeree r.
boycott the offender compIeteIv 70.
blockade 1t by sea and land. to sun
port nne another financially. econom-
ically and in resisting any special