Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-19
GREAT BRITAIN CAN'T
OUTVOTE AMERICA,
PRESIDENT DECLARES
Foreigners Can't Order Our
Troops Abroad and Latter
Are Not Obligated to Sup
press Irish ReVoIts

SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. 1S.-Re-
plying in a statement today to list
of questions put to him by a San
Francisco League of Nations organ
ization. President Wilson declared
Great Britain could not out-vote the
United States In the league; that
foreign governments could not. UNI
der the covenant. order American
troops abroad: that the league would
have a powerful influence toward
restoration of Shantung to China:
that the United States would not
be obligated by article 10 to aid
Great Britain In suppressing a re-
volt in Ireland. that under article ]
there would be created new forum
for questions of self-determination
Mr.. Wilson'S statement containing
the questions and answers follows;
1. Will you state the underlying
consideration which dictated an
awarding of six votes to the British
empire in the assembly and is il
true that Great Britain would out
vote us in the League of Nations
and thereby control the leagues &C.
ton?
Answer-The consideration which
led to assigning six votes to self
governing portions of the British
empire was that they have. in effect
in all but foreign policies. become
autonomous. self-governing states,
their polity in all but foreign affairs
being independent of the control OF
the British government and in many
respects dissimilar from it. But II
is not true that the British empire
can out-vote US in the League OF
Nations and therefore control the
action of the league. because in ev.
cry matter except the admission OF
new members in the league no ac-
ton can be taken without the con.
currence Of q unanimous vote OF
the representatives of the states
which are members of the council
so that in all matters of action, the
affirmative vote of the United
States is necessary and equivalent
to the united vote Of the representa-
tives Of the several parts Of the
British empire. The united vote
Of the several parts Of the British
empire cannot offset or overcome
the vote Of the United States.
Can't Order Troops
.. Is it true that under the
League OF Nations foreign codntrieE7
can order the sending OF American
troops to foreign countries?
Answer-It Is not. The right Of
congress to determine such matters
Is in no wise impaired.
8. What effect will the League
OF Nations have in either forwarding
or hindering the final restoration OF
Shangtung to China? What effect
will the League of Nations have in
preventing further spolition of Chi
ma and the abrogation Of all such sps
cial privileges now enjoyed in China
by foreign countries?
Answer-The League Of Nations
will have a very powerful effect
in forwarding the final restoration
Of Shantung to China. and no other
fundamentally or action can be sub.
stituted which could bring that re-
suit about. The authority of the
league will, under article 10. be con.
stantly directed toward safeguarding
the territorial integrity and poll.
teal independence of China. 1t will
therefore. absolutely prevent the
further spoliation of China. promote
the restoration to China of the sew.
eral privileges now long enjoyed by
foreign countries. and assure China
of the completion of the process by
which Shantung will presently be
restored to her in full sovereignty
In the past there h been no tribu.
nal which could be resorted to for
any Of these purposes.
AS to Irish Revolt
4. is there anything in. the
League of Nations covenant or the
peace treaty which directly or indi-
rectly in any manner imposes on the
United States any obligation. moral
or otherwise. of the slightest char
acter to support England in any way
in case of revolt in Ireland? I
Answer-There is not. The only
guarantee contained in the covenant
is against external aggression and
those who formed the covenant were
scrupulously careful in no way to in,
terfere with what they regarded as
the sacred rights Of self-determinay.
ton. ~
5. What effect, If any, will the
League of Nations covenant have in
either hindering or further1ng the
cause of Irish freedom?
Answer-It was not possible for
the peace conference to act with re-
gard to the self-determination of any
territories except those which had
belonged to the defeated empires, but
IN the covenant OF the League of Ma
tons it has set up for the first time
in article XII forum to which all
claims of self-determination which
are likely to disturb the peace of the
world or the good understandings be-
tween nations upon which the peace
of the world depends can be brought.