The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-04-10
WHO DECIDES?


When the Paris Covenant for a league
of nations was first promulgated, its
friends hailed it as the worlds greatest
document. The opinion was not general,
notwithstanding the fact that there was
a universal desire for world organiza-
ton which would tend to eliminate wars.
las the discussion Of the Paris covenant
has progressed it has become apparent
that regardless of first impressions, the
constitution of the proposed league is the
most misunderstood document in the
world.
The Misunderstanding is not confined
to proponents of critics of the document,
but it is general throughout the United
States. cambridge, Colby, former vice
president of the emergency fleet corpor-
alton, proves no exception to the rule las
he rushes to the defense of the Paris doc
ument. He attempts to make the criti-
cismsa of Senator'S Lodge, Borah. Poif-.
dexter, Knox and Reed appear as delib-
crate misinterpretation of the provisions
of the league constitution. II.
The strangest part of this maneuver is
that he should include one Democrat in
his declaration. The disposition of the I.
administration to date has been to forget
that the league constitution does not sat
isfy many of our foremost Democrats. AS
result their criticisms have come in for
little attention from the administration
spokesman. The Republican senators
mentioned by Mr.. Colby have been
charged many times with criticizing the
document only to hamper the work of the
President.
At the same time the politicians who
have hurled these charges have been sill
ent concerning the motives prompting
the criticism voiced by leading Democrats
They are silent concerning the criticisms
of such men as Senator Hardwick, Sena-
tor Thomas, Senator King, Congressman
Champ Clark, Henry Watterson, A. Rus
sell Lowell and William j. Bryan.
That these men take honest American
exception to the Wilsonian scheme of in
ternationalism is evidence that the criti-
cism Of the Republican Senators is found
ed on firm foundation. Mr.. Colby en-
deavors to make it appear that only the
Republican critics of the Paris document
refuse to understand it's provisions al
though its own remarks make it apparent
that he, too, is wallowing in the maze of
misunderstanding In the first place, he
forgets that one of the most earnest
champions Of the Paris document, A.
Russell Lowell, has admitted many of the
weaknesses charged to the document by
SENATOR Lodge He arraigns Senator
Lodge, but is silent concerning Lowell.
Mr. Colby asserts that the sovereignty
of the United States will not be violated
by the SHUTS plan for league, which
seems particularly daring in view of the
fact that President Wilson himself has
admitted certain impairment of our
sovereignty. The same is true of the
Monroe doctrine with the exception that
it is William j. Bryan instead of Presi-
dent Wilson who fears the violation of the
tradition, while Mr. Colby unhes'tat'ngly
asserts that the league constitution makes
it plain that there can be no VIC alton of
this doctrine.
From Mr.. Colbys own remarks we may
conclude that the Paris document is the
misunderstood document in the worlds
history, Notwithstanding his own asser-
tion that it is the greatest instrument
against war ever conceived. Mr.. Colby not
only does not agree with Republican crit
les of the constitution but he is at vari-
ance with Democrat leaders who are still
imbued with the spirit of Americanism.
It would seem that his charge that critics
of the league wilfully misrepresent the
nrovisions of the covenant could be APP