Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-03-07
WILSON EXPOUNDS
NATIONS LEAGUE
Would Endanger Entire Structure
of Document if 1t Should Be
Opened for Amendment.
MANY QUESTIONS RAISED.
Asserts People of World Will Despair
II Pact Is- Not Accepted and
Fears That Complications
Might Lead to'War.

lngtOn.-SeriOus complications,
in which the United States might be-
come involved, may result from the
failure Of the proposal for League
of Nations along the lines Of the con-
stitution as drafted in Paris, accord
ing to statement made by President
Wilson to the members Of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations and
the House Committee on Foreign At
fairs.
The President and Mrs. Wilson were
the hosts Of the committee members
at a dinner in the White House, and
later the committee members went
with Mr.. Wilson into the East Room,
where the President welcomed ques-
tions from the senators and represent
atives and answered them freely The
gathering adjourned at midnight.
The meeting came as the climax to
a day of lively debate in the senate
on the League Of Nations, In the course
Of which it was again assailed as I'M
American and full Of pitfalls for this
country. All Of the arguments against
the league were brought into the dis
cussion invited by the President, and
he attempted to refute them.
The President laid particular stress
upon the need Of league Of this kind.
He said the various committees Of the
Paris peace conference had come
across many important problems for
which no adequate solution could be
found except through such league.
If it were not formed despair would
settle down upon a great part of the
world, he said, for this is the only pro-
posal which holds out any hope of fu-
ture peace and tranquility, and the
minds Of the people of Europe are set
upon 1t.
The formation Of the league he re-
CARDS as absolutely essential to the
peace settlement, and he informed the
members Of the two committees that
the constitution Of the league would
be made an integral part Of the gen.
eral treaty of peace.
Republican members of the commit
tee asked the President particularly
about the advisability Of amending the
league constitution to reserve the
Monroe doctrine, protect the sover-
eighty of the United States and pre-
vent interference in American inter
nal affairs. He replied that any sort
Of amendment would be very difficult,
because the present instrument was
the result Of very careful considera
tion Of the different conditions prevail
ing in the various nations which aye
a party to it, and any change would
upset the ensemble and make it neces
sary to make new adjustments all
around
Senator Brandegee Of Connecticut,
a Republican member Of the senate
committee, started the questioning by
asking particularly about the objection
that the Monroe doctrine would be
abrogated by the league treaty. Mr..
Wilson replied with the statement that
has been made so many times by the
advocates of the league-namely, that
it was merely an extension Of the Mon
roe doctrine to the whole world, and
the United States had nothing to fear
from the aggression Of European ma.
tions~ on this hemisphere under the
provisions Of the instrument.
1t was specifically stated by the
President that the league constitution
did not make the so called manda-
tories compulsory. Any nation desig.
mated under this provision to admin
lister the government of sany foreign
people must do so voluntarily, he eX-
planned, the action Of the council of
the league being In the nature Of a rec
ommendation.
The President however, made the
significant statement that the general
disposition was to look toward the
United States to act in the case of Ar
menia. He said it was the duty also
Of this country to render all Of the aid
and moral support in its power to the
newly formed states Of Czechoslovakia,
Jugoslovakia and Poland.