The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-03-08
By EDWARD w, PIcKARD,

That unless the United States joins
the league of nations chaos will re-
suit; that the Monroe doctrine is safe
because the constitution of the league
expands 1t to cover the world and the
sgnatory nations will be obligated
to uphold 1t; that 1t is practically inn
possible to amend the draft of the
league plan that was adopted; that the
limitations of the size of the army
and navy imposed by the league would
be only moral obligations and that the
restraint really would lie in the limi-
tation of the production of arms and
munitions, and that the United States
could withdraw from the league at any
time it saw fit-such in substance was
the explanation of the great plan given
by President Wilson to the mem
bers of the senate and house COM
mittees on foreign affairs.
Mr.. Wilson dined the committeeman
and was frank, jovial and enthusiastic,
and answered all their questions free
ly, but after it was all over the wise
ones declared that he had not con-
verified single one of the opponents
of the league. These include both Re-
publicans and Democrats, and during
the rest of the week they continued
their attacks on the plan. The spokes-
men of the administration replied Wig
Orously, but there was reason to be-
Iieve that nearly every member of the
senate, which must pass on the planr
had his mind made up.
In his Boston speech the president
told the people very little about the
league, but in brilliant phrases he mp
pealed to the country to support the
plan, declaring that the rest Of the
world relied on America at this juno
ture. In this he is corroborated by
the British press, which shows some
anxiety over the opposition manifest
in this country, and some fear that
America will not be willing to assume
her share of the burden of governing
the world. It is recognized, abroad
and at home, that the American people
might look askance at any proposition
that they accept mandates for such
territories as the former German colo
MES in Africa, and the president says
that in Paris he firmly discouraged
any such idea; but he thinks the Unit
ed States might well become the man.
datory for the Armenians. AS for the
newly organized nations of Europe, he
says 1t Is up to America to stand by
them, whether or not the league of ma
lions is formed
In France the opposition to the
league based ostensibly On the lack
of a binding provision for the use of
force to put it's mandates into effect,
has largely died out because the crit
les feared that opposition there and
in America would kill the entire prof.
ect. The emissaries Of the allied ma
tions are now said to be in complete
harmony in this matter.
As the week closed there were signs
that the principles of the league might
be given a tryout in settling the dis
pute between the Italians and the Jugo-
Slavs, which had reached critical
stage. The military commission of the
latter had expelled the Italian military
mission from Laibach, and in retail
alton Italy. closed the frontier, stopping
all food trains carrying relief for the
Jugo-Slavs and the Czecho-Slovaks.
On Friday the draft Of the new and
permanent armistice was submitted to
the supreme council in Paris, but may
not be placed before the German gov