Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-02
SENATOR MCLEAN FOR RESERVATIONS

1 months ago the leaders on the othel
 side of this chamber stood, precisely
 l upon this all important issue. The fact that no one knew where the 1 president stood in February last, ano | the fact that this senatorial somer- | sault occurred the day after the pres | ident disclosed his position is, 1 think, a most remarkable coincidence Mir President. The American peo-
 pie without regard to party VII LOOK | editor who tries to secure the adep- 1 ton or rejection of the pending treaty
 under the party lash. Every patri- l otic American, regardless of party 1 will want the senate to make no mis- l takes in it's disposition of this pro- l posed venture into the bottomless pit | of world politics.
 1 War will cease when and only when 1 the great peoples of the earth rec ] ognize the folly and brutality of war, | and possess sufficient common sense to avoid doing the things that cause war. 1 In my opinion. the foundations Of this covenant are defective in workman ship, and materials, and thew will soon crumble under the weight of the colossal and prententious super structure. This covenant, in it's priT- ary coueeptions utterly ignores the basic principle of Anglo-Saxon civil
 ization, namely. the necessity of inn
 partial disinterested tribunals for the
 settlement of disputes.
 Justice is possible only where laws
 are administered by a wise and impar-
 tiaI sovereignty. whether that SOW
 ereignty be represented by justice of
 the peace. or jury of twelve disinter
 ested men. or the courts of last re-
 sort. Our own dom estic peace would
 soon be lost if juries and courts were
 composed of friends of the Iitigants.
 It is possible that a dispute might
 arise so trivial that the super sov-
 ereign council created by this GOV
 n rl5 a
 just decision, but I challenge the de-
 lenders of this covenant to point to
 possible controversy of consequence
 that would. or could, be submitted to
 a disinterested impartial tribunal in
 the first instance.
 It creates executive council of
 nine. nationals whose tenure of office
 will depend upon their ability to- secure
 represent. The members of this
 council will be the agents of jealous
 principals. and as such agents they
 will be compelled to plot and deceive
 What opportunities for colossal schemes of profit and power will be presented to those nine men, placed a s they will be. upon the mount3ntop of world politics with all the cities of the l earth spread out before them.
 Again. what will be expected of | covenants that promise to preserve in tact. for all time. the boundary lines 1 of it's friends. while it distributes the l land of it's enemies. however just such | distribution may be How do they l know that justice will not demand the | changing of other boundary lines in | the future. . have received many letters from | good men urging me to support this document. They insist that plain jus l tice demands the dismenberment of l Germany. Austria and Turkey. and I | fully agree with them The question | | ft1af 11Nff that justice will not denan nd other dis m em berrents in the future The tears | of war dry quickly. but the hatred of | war lives long Does anyone imag- inc that the clauses in this document. | which undertake the heal titles to land | secured by force. will he honored by | those who have lost their land should : the time ever come when they can re- l gain it ny force. Loss of land is loss or honor A loss that will not be forgotten or forgiven.
 Astounding it may seem. the pending document does not attempt to add anything to the surface of the l ea rth. It simply says to the Creator. Hereafter. the executive council Of the covenant for League of Ma 1 -ions. and not You will regulate the rise and fall of races and nations. This council will see to it now that no ace. however great or worthy it may nay become shall not have any more l however deceperate and unworthy it nav he, shall have any less Ia nd than f has now" Tn other words. this eague proposes to take time and eter- ,ity by the forelock. and stay the laws f social indignation and disiutiara ion. and dn if hy force of arms This S sheer folly! I do not believe the merican peopIe want ta u~derwrite or an time the titles of England and ' rance to millions of square miles of 0reicn soil
 If we subscribe ta this document -ithout amendments or reservations I we subscribe to this 7eaS SIe a 1t is 70 shall invite at once the disa pprova1I nd ridicule of all tho nations who re given no share of the spaiIs. It Fl -on't he many years before Gerula ny. ustria. and Russia and la pan. and "rrhaps Tta1v and Spain and Mexico i'll find common ground upon which } denource i+ an attempt on the art of the English epea king peoples H dominate the world
 The only man who has authority to E peak for Russia already has char cterized this league a 'Looting r rust established by Great Britain 1d the United States for the purpose
 enslaving the world. America" r., TVS Lenine will, if she joins the ,eague of Loot he hated bv every W her nation. because her sole object
 joining will he to loot by force"
 This document threa tens war for F -ery breach of contract. and provides te ways and means for wa sing war |. ehind it's covenants lies force and 'rce is war!
 If I may not kill my nefshbor for ich breach of contract. how can ' ote to pledge my country to kill a F ation that breaks it's contract.
 If the con science of the world can 2 trusted to kill a mai ion that breaks = $ contract. why should not that con q ,ience he invoked to use force to rotect persecuted and robbed minor ies within nations. I suppose that ne of the reasons why the nations the earth have not vet a assumed the ght to take sides and settle by force le internal affairs of each other. is ecause the authority of the collec- We conscience is still a matter of ispute among the best of men Ger