Evening journal., 1919-03-05
Taft Says War Would Be
Last Resort Under Plan

CONTINUED from page ilve)
md its citizens. Indeed the boycott is
compound or secondary in that 1t Is
ERECTED against any non-members Of
he league continuing TO deal with The
outlaw nation. This is an obligation
operative at once on each member OF
he league With us The executive
council would report the violation OF
ne covenant 10 the President, and that
WOULD be reported 20 Congress, and
Congress would then, by reason Of the
covenant Of the league be under an
honorable, legal and moral obligation
@ levy an embargo and prevent all in
ercourse OF every kind between this
Iation and the mountaineering na-
ion.
iooSevelt's Action Furnished Analogy.
This furnishes an analogy for the
proper construction Of Article 10. The
,act that the executive council is 10
idyise what means shall be taken to
luilll the obligation shows that the
means TO be taken by each nation are
means which II shall deem proper and
iair under The circumstances, consider
ng its remoteness from the country
snd the fact that the nearer presence
Df other nations should induce them TO
'urnlsh the requisite military force.
1T thus seems to me clear that the
question both under Article IS and
uDNer Article 10 as to whether the
United States shall declare war and
what forees IL shall furnish are remit
ted 10 the voluntary action Of the Con-
sress OF the United states under the
constitution, having regard 10 q fair di-
vision between all the nations OF the
burden 10 be borne under the league,
and the proper means whether by the
eniolned and inevitable boycott alone
or by the advance Of loans Of money or
by the declaration OF war and by the
use Of military force.
This is as It should be. It fixes the
obligation Of action in such a way that
American nations Will attend 20 Amer
lea and European nations will attend TO
Europe and Asiatic nations to Asia un-
less all deem the situation so threaten
ing 10 the world and TO their own in
terests that they should take a more
active part. II seems to me that ap-
pFopriate words might be added to
the pact which should show distinct.
ly this distribution Of the obligation i
it will relieve those anxious in respect
10 the Monroe Doctrine, 70 exclude
from forcible Intervention any issues
between American nations by European
or Asiatic nations until requested by
the United states OF an executive coun-
eli Of the American nations framed
for the purpose.
No Fear OF Numerous Little Wars.
"Will our country be forced by thes'
covenants into a lot OF little wars al
over the face Of the world.
NOW in the first place, the existence
Of the leageu and is covenants and thI
immediate self-aetlng boycotts will re-
strain most nations, especially smal
nations, from incurrlng The penalty o.
complete world ostracism. The back
ground Of possible united force will b
a further restraint. It will minimiI'
war everywhere. The risk Of war 10
the members under the covenant is
therefore. not 10 be compared with tn
danger OF a recurrence Of general wa
without the league and its covenants
In such a war we are bound TO b
drawn with all its horrors.
objection is made 10 the constitu
tlon OF the executive council, with IN
suggestion that Great Britain nigh
have more delegates therein than othe
countries. This is an error. The Britisl
empire, which, Of course, includes th
domlnions. is limited 10 one delegate y
the executive council. Provision
made by which upon a vote Of two
thirds OF the body Of delegates nev
members may be admitted who are in
dependent states or are self-governin
dominions or colonies. Under this Can
ada and Australia and South Afric
might be admitted as delegates. pre-
sumo, too, the Philippines might b
admitted. But the function Of the bod
Of delegates is not one which make
its membership OF great importance
When it acts as a mediating and com