Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-19
Fight on League
Begins in Senate

Continued from Page One
member Of the league established unoer
Il. the government and the people OF the
United States viii determine whether
they are to remain the great sovereign
and indepen ndent nation, a people cen
trolling their own destiny, determilns
for themselves the extent OF their mill
tary preparations, the size of their
armies and navles and establishing Tor
themselves their international relations
or whether they are to merge their des-
tinies with other nations OF the world
sharing their burdens, participating In
their uuarre,s and becoming party TO
all international complications"
Referring 70 the request OF President
Wilson that the Congress refrain from
discussion of the league until he could
meet with the Foreign Affairs Commit
tee, Senator Poindexter asserted 1t was
a. matter of too much Importance for
us to remain altogether SILENT and that
mo harm can be done by full discus
sion" of a document OF which the world
was purposely kept in entire ignor-
ance" until ut came forth full-panoplied'
as IL born from the head OF Jove"
Taking up the provisions OF the
leagues constitution, the Senator SAID
the document contained no provision for
it's abrogation or for the withdrawal OF
nation. He said that doubtless the
leagues advocates would contend that
the agreement might be abrogated at
any time, but such, he said, was the
contention Of many of the States that
Joined the Federal Union, only to learn
differently through the bloodshed of the
Civil War.
Aliens would Regulate America
BY the terms of the league constitu-
tton," he continued. ''the decision as TO
the relative reduction of the army and
navy of the United States, in prcpor-
tion to that of the great rival powers,
would be taken absolutely out of the
jurisdiction of the people and govern
ment of the United States and vested
In the jurisdiction of the league, where
the United States has but one vote amid
large number of alien powers
This in itself. he added. would be in
conflict with the constitution of the
United States.
The power Of Congress to declare war.
he said. would be taken away, also in
violation of the Constitution. and vested
In tribunal, "the great overwhelming
majority Of which is composed of aliens
TO our interests and institutions
The league promises little guarantee
Tor future peace, he'asserted, when those
who drafted its constitution have mot
been able to restore present peace or
set up orderly government In Central
Europe and Russia"
Objects to Colony Scheme
Under provisions Of the constitution
providing for manufactures for colonial
territories, Senator Poindexter said, the
United States would be required to "un-
dertake, virtually unsolicited and un-
sought. to extend our responsibilities and
cares 70 the uttermost parts of the
earth"
In taking up the obligations of gov
ernment in Asia, Africa and Europe, the
United States, he said, would surrender
to Asia, Africa and Europe American
policies which have been the prize jew
els in the American diadem of state"
Contending that the emergencies of
the past that necessitated assertion of
the principles of the Monroe Doctrine
may arise in the future, Senator Pom
dexter said he hoped the American peo-
pie had not reached the point where
they were willing that "the high ideals
of these traditional doctrines would be
left to the administration of an alien
tribunal established under the league Of
nations"