The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-03-13


constitution for the world, though ii
might properly have called into being
an international legislative body
charged with this duty
1t is evidently a part of the STRAIT
egy of President Wilson, whose can
didacy for reelection as President on
the issues he is creating is fore
shadowed by the recent statement Of
Norman Mack, former chairman OF
the Democratic national committee,
to make it appear that he is now, as
he was during the campaign of 1915,
the worlds one guarantee of peace.
The "he keeps us out of war" slogan
has been revived The effort is made
to have il appear that all those who
are not in favor of President Wilson s
scheme of world Reorganization, are
apostles of war,-though the chief
argument against the plan proposed
is that it does not remove the menace
of war, but involves us in entangle-
ments likely to keep us perpetually
at war, and for causes in which we
are not directly concerned.
The people of this country favor a
court of nations for arbitration Of
international disputes and the reduc-
tion of armaments. They notice, in
connection with President Wilson 5
league scheme, that it is considered
entirely consistent with the plan that
one of the constituent nations is to
maintain the mastery of the seas
through the ownership of the world 5
most powerful navy. The people are
not sure, therefore, that even in eX-
change for the surrender of national
sovereignty apparently involved, we
are to be insured against war, of the
rule of force. But if we are to be-
come members of world league, the
people of this country undoubtedly
favor the inclusion in the world con-
stituti0n OF certain reserved powers
of American nationality Such re-
served rights for the individual and
! the state governments were found
essential to the acceptance of the
American constitution. These are
found set forth in the first ten
amendments, and are known as the
bill of rights" of the constitution
They include provisions for freedom
OF speech and the press, the right to
bear arms, right of trial by jury, etc
There are certain national rights
which opponents of the league OF
nations scheme as proposed believe
are menaced under its provisions, bat
which its friends say are not by any
reasonable Interpretation threatened.
Then let there be included in this
constitution of the league of nations,
bill of national rights something
like this:
Nothing in this constitution shall
be Interpreted:
''To supplant the Monroe doctrine;
ITO substitute international for
national sovereignty;
ITO impair or destroy the rights
of American citizens at home or
abroad;
'To limit the right of the Ameri-
can people to dc-ermine for them
selves their own domestic policies,
particularly those bearing upon the
tarii and immigration
"To involve the United States in
any war without the specific approval
of the American Congress;
ITO abrogate any guarantee of the
American constitution;
'To impose any liability for the
policing or financing OF any foreign
government or territory, not author
ized by the American Congress;
ITO prevent the United States
from maintaining as large a navy as
any other power;
ITO prevent the American govern
ment from withdrawing from the
proposed league Of nations, by giving
reasonable notice of intention, when
ever the league operates to the
serious impairment of just American
rights and interests.
If there are no hidden dangers in
the proposed constitution of the
league of nations, what possible OBJ
lection can there be to the clear
setting forth, within the document,
of the things the American people
would not surrender except through
deception?
The seed, not of peace, but of war,
Is in any governmental compact
which leaves unsettled differences
which may become irreconcilable.
The greatest war ever waged in the
world, prior to the present war was
the American Civil war. 1t was
fought, necessarily, because the Am
erican constitution failed to settle
two fundamental questions: Human
slavery, and the right of secession.
With this precedent in view, foolish
indeed would be the policy of ac-
cepting the proposed constitution OF
league of nations without settling,
so far as is possible, every question
which in the future might, If left un-
determined, present to this country
the alternatives of war, unequally
wagod, or the sacrifice of American
fundamentals.