Evening star., 1919-03-12
Few If Any Binding Orders.

ne council makes rev, II any, orders
binding on the memb bers of the league
After a member of the league has
agreed not to exceed limit of argu-
ment, the executive council must con-
sent to raising the limit Where the
executive council acts as a mediating
and inquiring body to settle differ
ences not arbitrated. it's unanimous
recommendation of a settlement must
satisfy the nation seeking relief if
the defendant nation complies with
tne recommended ton
These are the only cases in which
he United States aS a member of the
eague would be bound by action of
, he executive council. All other OBJ
. legations of the United States under
the league are to be found in the cove
nants of the league. and not in any
action of the executive council. When
this is understood clearly. the whole
structure OF Senator knoX's Indictment
falls"
Mr.. Taft asserted that article XVI
tthe penaIizing section) does not re-
quire members of the league to make
war against nation violating this
section. Mr.. Taft added that IAN act
of war does not produce state of
war unless the nation acted against
chooses to declare and wage war on
account of it," The executive council,
he said lis given the duty of recon-
mending what forces shall be fur
nished by mer9bers of the league to
protect the covenants of the league"
Quoting Senator Knox as stating
that the executive council was vested
with power to declare war, Mr. Taft
continued:
Il submit in all fairness that there
never was more paipabIe non
sequitur than this. / venture to think
that were Senator Knox charged as
Secretary of State with constituting
the obligations of the United States
under this covenant, he would on be-
half Of the United States summarily
reject such a construction, unless the
words used make such delegation
clear.
Left to Governments.
Article 8 provides that the execu-
tive council shall determine for the
consideration and action of the sew
eral governments what military equip
ment and armament is fair and rea-
sonable in proportion to the scale of
force laid down in the program of dis
armament formulated by ii, and these
limits, when adopted, shall not be ex-
ceeded without the permission of the
executive council This leaves wholly
to the governments the acceptance or
rejection of the proposed limitation
Senator Knox says that as this
recommendation will be made with
tHe SOuSeHt 0I our representative on
the council. we shall be in honor
bound to accept the limit and bind
ourselves. 1t is difficult to follow this
reasoning. The body which is to ac-
cept the Limitation is the Congress of
the United States. Why should the
Congress of the United States be
bound by a representative selected by
the President to represent the United
States in this function in respect to a
matter of great Importance under the
control of Congress?
That the United States should rec
ognize the wisdom of a reduction of
armament under world plan for il
seems manifest. The history of com
petitive armaments, with its dread
full sequel, is too fresh in the minds
of the peoples of the world not to
recognize the wisdom of an agre ed
reduction.
by what manner of reasoning can
the word recommend be converted
into a word of direction or command?
Yet upon this Interpretation of the
meaning of the words Recommend
advise and words of like import as
they occur in many articles depends
his whole argument as to the powers
of the executive council under the
covenant and their super sovereign
character"