The sun., 1919-06-06

bu' Its military power against U.S."
The claim OF some that we would not
be absolutely obliged TO send our troops
under the covenant he answered by say
irg: 80
I'VE wouldn't let them stay hong IL
We take the covenant seriously"
He referred to Article X. witch. deals
with the guarantee of political inds-
pendence to members, and said
president. Wilson. ir a speech In At
lanta several years ago suggested that
the nations Of the Western Hemisphere
adopt an agreement guaranteeing each
others political Independence, When
copies OF q proposed agreement were
distributed among International lawyers
N tho Senate the plan was repudiated as
impractical. as affecting the relations
between nations In the Western Hemis-
phere, notably Chile and Peru. In such h
way as repressing national craving for
Independence. - ~.
This plan now reappears as the tenth
article Of the League OF Nations. and all
the objections to It fatal to Its applica-
ton to the Western Hemisphere would.
II II was adopted, apply TO the whole
world. And yet you are seriously told
that the proposed covenant In nothing
to the while world.
Purely Political Alliance.
The Monroe Doctrine was not in
tended necessarily to promote peace It
was an announcement to the world that
certain words to the United States would
be fighting words that there might be
situation which meant a fight. The
Monroe Doctrine is no more preserved
by Article XXI. than 1t IL by any other
article in the covenant
IF you want this treaty take Il, but
understand II and take It with your eyes
wide open. II IL an international voting
trust. just as lasting and self-perpetuat-
ing as a Philadelphia lawyer ever put
into the middle of a corporate reorgan-
ization. 1t is an offensive and defensive
political alliance, contrived to place In
the hands of a combination Of great
Powers the control Of international
affairs. The council might not make an
entirely judicial decision but q decision
OF political expediency.
The proposed covenant delegates to
central Power the right to decide ques-
tons for US and leaves us bound by
thsfr decision. 1t substitutes executive
power for both judicial and legislative
power Let us consider what that
means. In England Parliament Is the
governing body OF the country and by
form OF Government second to none.
In this country we. pinned our faith on
the judicial power Of the Supreme Court
1 ask you when our Constitution 10 used
as an analogue by the supporters Of
the league TO consider what would have
been the success Of our Constitution II its
powers were vested in the President and
his CabinetL
The Kaiser was an example of exec
utive power to the nth degree He
had his little Legislature and his little
courts. but he was typical of the deifi-
cation OF the executive. In deciding
whether or not to accept this covenant,
for Gods sake pay attention to our
own constitutional experiment Don't
let them substitute the executive for
both the judicial and legislative rights.
Executive Power Supreme.
ut Is awful to contemplate nine men
sitting over there. eight of them I'M
known Europeans and the ninth an
unknown American. They sit and de-
eide not only executive questions but
questions, properly judicial and questions
properly legislative, and they do this
perpetually. 1t is substituting for all
time what we endured during the war
when we handed over to the President
control of the telegraph lines and cables
OF the railroads and the food control
They did a good job. There are times
in an emergency, when executive power
emerSes. condition which We permit
to exist under the pressure of war, but
don't let us allow ourselves to be be-
trayed Into substituting executive power
without control for our tried scheme OF
government"
I Mr.. Pepper referred to the need; pi
free debate on the league. ana said
1t cannot he amended IL attempts are
made to start backfres under Senators
and to prevent them from exercising
their constitutional risht OF discussion.
Senator Pittman began his remarks
by saying that we cannot isolate our
selves or longer escape the effects Of the
vital actions Of other nations. He said
Had the covenant of the League of
Nations been In force In 1914 Austria
would not have declared war upon Ser
bia. and the most brutal. unchristian
and disastrous catastrophe that the
world has ever known would have been
| spared TO humanity.
THE chief attacks made In the United
states upon the covenant OF the League
| OF Nations are not based upon its lack
of power to prevent or defer war. hut
upon the alleged grant to the league OF
| jurisdiction and power to interfere with
the vital interests OF our Government.
What are the vital interests that we
( submit to the League of Nations under
| the covenant? There is not contained
| in the document a single prohibition OF
limitation upon our right to defend our
own territory or our citizens against
attack Our domestic affairs and our
| Monroe Doctrine are expressly excluded
from the Jurisdiction of the league.
, at is granted no control over our
| army or our navy. 1t is granted nc
power to fix or determine our arfna-
ments. but only the authority to recon-
mend a plan looking to the reduction Of
ornaments in all nations The adoption
| or rejection of any proposed plan would
| be exclusively within the authority OF
| our Congress under the express terms OF
! the covenant.
| Our Government has long favored ar
bitrations 1t Is committed TO the policy
Eeyond these questions there Is no pro-
vision for compulsory arbitration.
"If disputes arise that are not subject
to arbitration. then the matter shall be
submitted under articles IL and Is to the
league for inquiry. report and recon-
| incubation. II report is adopted by a
unanimous vote, then the recommends
| lions are submitted to the disputants. II
onl~ one of the disputants accepts the
! recommendations, then the other Is only
Rezl2ze0I