Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1919-08-30

lOu will recall that when | had the
pleasure of u conference with your
committee and with the committee OF
the House OF Representatives ON For
eign Affairs nj the White House In
March last, the questions now most
frequently asked about the league OF
nations were all cunvassed, with o.
flew to their immediate Qualification
The covenant of the league was then
In It's first draft and subject to revi
sion. II was pointed out that no ex
press recognition was given TO the
Monroe doctrine. that II was not ex
prrSS'y provided TINT the league
should have no authority 10 act or to
express judgment on matters OF do
nestle policy, that the right to with
draw from the league was not ex.
nrr>'ly recognized. and thut the con,
siintiOnal rights of the Congress to de-
tclmnc all questions OF peace aud war
was hot sufficiently safcguurded ON
my return 10 Paris all these matters
were taken up again by the Commls.
sion on the League OF Nations and
every suggestion OF the United States
was accepted.
"'ihr view of the United States
with regard TO the question have
mentioned had. In fact. already been
accepted 10y The commission aud there
WAS supposed to lie nothing inconsist-
cui with them in the draft of the
covenant first adopted. the draft which
4.
March. hui no objection was made 10
anything explicitly In the text that all
had supposed to be implicated in II.
''rhr Monroe doctrine is expressly
mentioned rs un understanding which
Is IN no way to be impaired or inter
fcrrd with by anything contained in
the covenant. aud The expression re
giOnnl understanding like the Monroe
doctrine was used not because any
one Of the conference thought there
NnS any comparable agreement any
where else ia existence or In contem.
plat!on. but only because II was
thought best to avoid the appearance
of dealing IN such document with the
policy OF single nation
Article Ii Of the covenant expressly
with regard 10 domestic questions,
provides that II IN ease OF any dis
pute arising between members OF the
league the matter involved IL claimed
lay ON" " the parties aud is found by
III" council 10 arise out OF n matter
which l., international Inv Is solely
within the domestic jurisdiction OF that
party the council shall SO report and
shall make no recommendation as 10
lis settlements The United States
WAS by 10 means the only government
Interested in the explicit adoption OF
this PROV iSion. aud there is no doubt
in the mind of any authoritative stu
dent of international law that such
matters rs immigration. tariffs and
naturalization are incontc>tably domes- Z
tic questions with which no interna-
tional body could deal.
The right OF any state TO withdraw
had heen taken for granted. but no OBJ
lection MAS made to making Il explicit. I
Indeed 80 soon AS the views expressed I
al the White House conference were laid I
before the commission II was at once I
III. answer TO so important question 10 (
Inference No proposal was made 10 set +
~ any tribunal to pass Judgment upon
The question whether "A Withdrawing ma
ton has In fact fulfilled all It's interna- f
tioual obligations and all its obligations
under the covenant II WAS recognized .
hat that question must be left to be re-
solved by the conscience Of the nation
proposing to withdraw. and | must say
d hat a n al
TO propose that the article be made more
explicit because | knew that the United \
states would never Itself propose to with I
draw from the league II its conscience Z
was not entirely clcar a. TO the fulfill
mcnt OF all It's international obligations
It hns never failed TO fulfill them and
never will
meaning when read In the light OF the
covenant as a whole. The council OF the
league can only advise upon the means
by which the obligations OF that great
article are TO W given effect 10. Unless
tho United StatSH IL a party to the policy
or action IN question her own affirmative
vote IN the council liz necessary before
any advice can be given or unanimous
vote OF the council Ia required. II she IL
party the trouble Is hers anyhow. aud
the unanimous vote OF the council Is only
advice In any case Each government IL
free 10 reject II II II pleases Nothing
could have been made more clear 10 tho
conference than the right OF our Congress
under our Constitution TO exercise its
independent judgment In all matters OF
peace and war. No attempt was made
TO question or limit that right. The
United states viii. indeed. undertake
under Article 10 TO respect and preserve
as against external aggression the terri
torial integrity and existing political in
dependence OF all members OF the league
and that engagement constitutes a very
grave and solemn moral obligation But
II is moral not "a legal. Obligation and
leaves our Congress absolutely free TO
put It's own Interpretation upon Il In all
acseS that call for action
Article 10 seems 10 me TO constitute
tho very backbone Of the whole covenant.
without It the league would be hardly
more than an influential debating so
ciety.
1T has several times been suggested.
IN public debate and In private confer
ence. that interpretations Of ~ sense
in which the United States accepts the
...e. -. ~.