The daily morning oasis., 1919-03-16

that might promise relief And many supported ratf
cation who would not have done had not their misgv
lingS been alayed by promises that were not fulfilled
An instance in that is the in which the
doctrine of secession considered both at the time
1.-THE Constitution ratified and generation two
later Had New York and Virginia failed of ratification
probably the Constitution would not have been adopted
LIN New York Alexander Hamilton it's strong advo
cate, George Washington in Virginia. Both had
been members of the convention which framed it. Wash
ington was chairman Hamilton was member of the
convention called by New York to pass upon the subject
of ratification.
In the New York convention Hamilton threw his
whole weight and power accomplished debater for
ratification and almost alone he carried the argument
for ratification In the of one of his dissertations
he interrupted with question: "ShOuld New York
find fancy her rights encroached upon by the other
states by the federation what will be her remedy?
Quick as flash came from Hamilton the historic
answer:
"In such case the remedy of New York would be
to withdraw from the federation"
In Virginia one of the members of the state conven-
ton which ratified wrote to George Washington letter
in which he propounded the question that put
to Hamilton on the floor of the New York convention.
And WaShingtons answer is still in existence.
Yet when, two generations LATER Virginia sought to-
take Hamilton and Washington at their word and with
draw from the federation, New York and majority of
the states said she should not and could not and New
York sent large part of the great army Of 2O00000
men which convinced Virginia that they capable Of
reducing to nothing the promises of both Washington
and Hamilton.
question propounded Washington and Hamilton has been
put and the is the that given by those
two great But, perhaps time may bring about the
in which the United States would find itself
in the that Virginia found herself in 1861 We may
desire to withdraw from the league the rest of the
parties to the pact will not let us.
Then there may be brought into the league of nations
new points not visible now That was the case with the
Constitution of the United States Hamilton not
rely satisfied with the instrument drawn He said it
did not go sufficiently far in many points But he favor
ed it's ratification and adoption the best that could be
got "The rest will get by construction" his
ment And the verdict Of history that the Hailtonan
plan of getting things into the Constitution by construc
tien has been remarkably successful Observe how the
fourteenth amendment adopted to protect the negro in
the South twisted to protect vast wealth from pay
ing tax upon income
John Marshall the first to start the game of
struction and the play has been going in the
court since.
The same thing may work in the league of nations.
There may be construed into its constitution things not
written there For instance it may be held the duty of
The league to assist member in putting down revol-
on that if successful might endanger the peace of
world Such construction would work to strengthen gov
srnment all the world matter how corrupt that
government might become
The foregoing presents some of the objections to
adopton of the league But nevertheless the need of
some force to prevent recurrence of such that
from which the world is emerging now will more than
these objections and all others that may
De offered.