Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-25


the agreement OF all the members of the leagui
represented at the meeting"
In only TWO instances can the council act
by a majority: First, in the unimportant mat
tiers OF procedure at meetings and the APP
pointment OF committees to investigate partic-
ular matters; second, under article Is when
the council fails to effect a settlement OF a
dispute it shall either unanimously or by a
majority vote publish a report containing a
statement OF the facts of the dispute and the
recommendations which are deemed just and
proper thereto"
Now, then, comes another paragraph in that
same article 15 which removes the binding eff
feet of that majority action" in the following
specific terms:
1T the council fails to reach a report which
is unanimously agreed to by the members
thereof other than the representatives OF one
OF more of the parties to the dispute, the MEM
bers of the league reserve to themselves the
right to take such action as they shall consider
necessary for the maintenance Of right and
justice"
Therefore, the monumental power "of the
policies of the council through a majority and
so rule the world" as claimed by Senator Reed
in the paragraph quoted at the start OF this
article, falls with a sickening squash and
smears with its slime all his conclusions from
that claim.
; why mince words about the power OF our
one vote always continuously that council,
when unanimous action is always necessary
for any vital matter affecting our interests, for
every high school pupil knows well that one
man is powerful as II in avoiding verdict
in our jury system.
But Senator Reed did not stop (if correctly
uuoted) at such fragrant effort to prejudice
his hearers through misstatement or Ignorance
of the terms of the covenant, but he grew elo-
quent in the description OF our pitifully weak
one vote out of 80 in the assembly and he
quoted four tables of statistics TO show appal-
ling preponderance of non-white population,
and so on, ad nauseum, to prove our peril in
being a tiny one against 80 and against Great
Britains six votes. Half his speech vas made
up of this "tommy-rot," for such term inele
gantIv expresses that kind of argument which
is not founded on truthful facts whether such
facts be expressed or suppressed, for in this
instance he evades any direct mention Of what
a majority of the assembly could do, but neces-
sarily wishes his hearers to jump themselves
at the conclusion of the power of the majority.
as otherwise his mountain Of statistics would
have no purpose.
The suppressed matter is as follows:
Look back to the first quotation 1 made from
article and you will find that the assembly's
action must also be unanimous just like jury,
unless otherwise expressly provided in this
covenant
the assembly can have any action through
ma jority; first, concerning the unimportant
procedure of meetings and appointment of
committees to investigate particular matters;
of the council for secretary general can be
made by a majority of the assembly Tin article
81: third, when a dispute is referred to the
assembly by unanimous action of the council
Ito whom it must first be referred) or referred
to the assembly by the request Of either party
to the dispute, il such request is made within
IA days after the submission of the dispute
to the council, then the assembly by majority
action can have voice equal to the unanimous
voice OF the council, if, and %on't overlook this
very important if. such majority of the as
sembIy is concurred in by those members OF
the league represented on the council texclu-
sive of the disputants in both instancesl and
this means the unanimous concurrence OF the
council including, OF course, our member. all
of which above facts makes the majority of
assembly action OF no vital consequence With
out our member of council consent.
After the league is in practical force an
amendment can be made by majority OF the
assembly providing it has the unanimous con-
currence of the council, including our own
As to the Monroe doctrine, it is seif-evident
that even if it we're not excepted from league
Jurisdiction no action upon it could be taken
either in the council without our one vote, or
in the assembly without the concurrence OF
our one vote in the council, and therefore that
we would be amply protected without any
change in the reference to that subject in the
league covenant.
Let US pause and proceed slowly and
for | am anxious for you to grasp
fully the astounding assertion | am now about
to make namely. the great American trait of
superficial examination of published matter has
been made evident through the above cOrrela-
ton of facts in this article and the really Won
derfuI position of the United States (along
equally with each of the other members of the
Big Five is shown clearly by the actual fact
that our one voice on the council is greater
in power than if we had voice on the council |
and 81 out of 80 on the assembly.
Now, pause again-ponder above statement |
well. for If it is true all the antagonism in |
the senate and in the public press and among |
The people is founded upon a mistake which |
has perpetuated itself because so oft repeated |
without the specific detailed proof herein given |
Of it being such an egregious error. Under !
such above claim the entire fabric of the oppo- |
sition must either vanish or be persisted in |
rs an outrageous lie which the public will |
soon nail to a deserved demise.