Evening journal., 1919-09-02
Opposes. Covenant in Letter to Senators
American Defense Society Officials Objections Covenant
League of Nations

That the Peace Treaty and the Cow
enant OF the League Of Nations are In
terdependent and that the latter can
be eliminated from the Treaty and
Committees appointed to perform the
duties under The Treaty necessary TO
regulate the carrying out by Germany
OF us terms is the opinion Of the Ameri-
can Defense Society After careful
thought and much deiberatiOn a Com
mitteo appointed by the Board OF Trus-
tees OF the Society, comprising men OF
national prominence. has rendered this
decision. In a statement sent each mem
Der OF The Senate Today the Society men,
tions ten of its serious objections TO the
Covenant Of the League Of Nations. This
statement is signed by Charles Stewart
Dawson, chairman Of the Board OF
Trustees; John r. Raihom, George b.
Agnew, Richard Washburn Child, Dr.
VIM. 7. Hornaday, Newton w. Gilbert,
former 1T. Gov. OF Indiana; Lee dc
Forest, William Guggenheim, Robert
Appleton, Dr. l.. l.. Seaman, G.. s.
Thompson, Raymond J. Tiffany. J. p.
Harris. and Charles Larned Robinson.
10 reads as follows:
The American Defense Society re-
spectfully requests the Senate OF the
United states 10 reject the so-called
Covenant" and eliminate II from the
Treaty OF Peace with Germany and in
place thereof, request the appointment
by the Nations which have warred
against Germany, of Committees to per-
form those duties under The Treaty
necessary TO regulate the carrying out
by Germany Of its terms. The COven-
ant can be eliminated from the Treaty
with which IL has been mechanically,
but not intcgrally. interwOven, for the
reason that il is a mechanical inter-
weaving only. The two have differ
cnt aims and different intents and
they deal with subjects not interrelated
in their essence. The Peace Conference,
now in session, has fun power TO sub
stitute the machinery OF committees for
that OF the Covenant Any claim that
the Treaty and the Covenant are inter
dependent in an integral sense would
hardly be ingenious for the intent to
mechanically interweave for the pur-
pose Of preventing their separate CON
sderaiion was declared beforehand
Certain Of the serious objections 10
the Covenant are:
l. The Covenant involves. I'm already
known and in as yet unrecOgnized direc-
tions both definite and underlined sur
renders Of sovereignty; therein il Is
obnoxious TO the Constitution OF the
United States and thereby subverslve of
the independence Of this nation. A dis
tinguished advocate of the Covenant
has claimed that these evils can be nulli-
fed in that the Covenant can he en-
tered upon and its obligations rendered
nugatOry by our veto IF this be true,
and IL is more than doubtful. propo-
sal that the United States should enter
into an agreement not intended in good
faith TO be carried out should not be (
II. Other nations should have no
voice in Interpreting theNMonroe Doc
trine. nor as to The size ofsQur army or
our navy, nor as to what limitations /
this nation may deem essential to i'm /
pose upon immigration or tlIe importa-
tion Of goods
III The proposal TO commit this
country to a blind general upholding Of
The Regional UNDERSTANDINGS which now
exist. as well through open as possibly
through still secret treaties and less
formal agreements, and whereby there
are created spheres Of influence in favor
Df various nations over various portions
lf the earth now occupied by less adj ,
yanced people, Is an abomination; and /
his whether such undertaking on our ]
part does or does not constitute the ;
consideration OF a bargain for a quasi {
recognition OF the Monroe Doctrine in {
he Covenant by its erroneous recital !
IS a Regional Understanding.
IN. There are deliberate traps in sew {
raj places in the phraseology in uie
covenant Examples are: The power Y
II the Council in Article X TO Advise (
lpon, not whether steps shall be taken J
lut the means TO be employed i'm GER :
ain contingencies. 50 also the right TO /
deal with" matters, provided for in G
mother Article-each phrase imports j
he power to act while avoiding the ex- \
lliclt recital Of the power I
Y. Concerning Reservations 10 Is {
allied TO your attention that attempted S
in connection with partial q