Evening star., 1919-03-01
ALL-WORLDl
MR.. KNOX'SPLAN
TOPREvENT WARS
Senator Warns Against Leav-
ing Central Powers Out OF
Organization.
'OTHERWISE TWO LEAGUES
IN A DEATH STRUGGLE
Society Now Planned Is Called
.Abhorrent to Our
Traditions"

"Abhorrent to Our
Traditions
Senator Knox of Pennsylvania, for
rer Secretary of State, speaking today
in the Senate. assailed the proposed
league of nations as striking down
American constitutional principles, and
proposed a new world organization,
which, he said, would preserve the
Monroe doctrine and save America
from the results of European intrigue
and aggression"
| Senator Knox, who attended the
White House dinner conference last
Wednesday night with other members
of the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee, said the constitution of the
/ league as presented to the peace con-
ference sanctions, breeds and com
niands war; and, after criticising va
/ rious cIauses of the document, asked:
why This Feverish Anxiety
why thIs feverish anxiety for the
adoption of this plan' Why this rae
/ ing up and down the land by propa-
/ gandists urging its adoption? What
benefit is to come from such a sale
/ of the country as is urged upon usE
Who are the benehciaries of this be-
! travail of our people?"
| Senator Knox spoke about an hour
{ and a half, during which there were
but few Interruptions AS has Deen
/ the case since discussion of the league
/ of nations plan has been in progress
| in the Senate. the galleries were
crowded. The diplomatic gallery was
also virtually filled. In accordance
with warnings given by the chatf
against demonstrations, no applause
I followed the conclusion Of the Epeech
but business had to be suspended tor
| a few minutes while many senator's
congratulated the Pennsylvania sen
| tor upon his speech.
/ The Pennsyivania senator said that
! if the people of the United States de.
sssisns ssrss Ehss q = sssmf' S.t s- Ia mot o.
merely ,builda coalition to further
ssi ,sssi & aqf is sdsfRa be eerT
cured through the formation of An
! international organization comprising
all the nations OF the world
Explains His Proposal.
/ Senator Knox said the constitutes
of such an interna tional coalition
should primarily declare war an in-
ternational crime and stipulate tnat
any nation engaging in il except ~
seif-defense be punished by the orid
as an international criminal.
| He also suggested that he constita-
tion provide that international diS-
putes be decided by an internatioha,
court, according to an. internatlonAt
code. defining war that NC natioa
could summon another before thH
court unless the subject under dia-
cussion was of common concern -
/ the contending nations and that juris-
d:ction Of the court could not extend 10
matters OF governmental policy.
No Need of Arbitrating q. S. Rights
! Under such a code, Senator knoz
declared. America would not, as 10
event the present plans for league
of nations were realized, be called
upon to arbitrate the policy inyolsed
in the Monroe doctrine. our conserva-
ton policy our immi grafton policy.
our right to expei aliens, our right 70
repei invasion and to maintain MILL
! tary and naval establishments: our
/ right to make necessary fortihcatton
! of the Panama canal or on our from
! tiers, and our right to discriminate
/ between natives and foreigners in re-
spect TO rights Of property and cffi-
zenship.
! Among other suggestions for the
constitution Senator Knox said II
should provide that the countries 81
/ the two hemispheres be called upon
I to enforce DEGREES of the internation-
al court only in their respective
/ hemispheres.
Would Keep U. S. Clear.
"A league framed on these broad
/ lines" he continued. would carry
with it q minimum loss OF our sov-
ereignty. would relieve US from par
/ ticipation in the broilS or Europe
would preserve the Monroe doctrine
and would save America from the
results of European intrigue and ae-
gression.
In opening his address Senator
! Knox said he wished it understocd
! he had not secured negative conct1-
| sions in regard to the constitutioR ei
| the proposed league through I'm
/ friendliness or bias.
He said he was against war even -
( the extent of seeing the United States
make the utmost sacrifices possible
but that he wanted to feel sure thas
when the offering of the UniteE
States had been placed upon fthe
altar and burned this country shoufu
have measurably and proportionateir
advanced the cause of human liberty
and happiness.
Criticises 'Looseness of Expressicn.
I Referring to the proposed constitu-
ton of the League of Nations, Sena-
tor Knox first criticised il for .'loose-
ness of expression which he said
chara cterized it throughout, and theH
because it appeared to set up two
operating entities for its enforce
ment the high contracting parties
and the league itself
In this connection Senator KNer
said the Importance of this bec20e
apparent when it was observed thAs
"the high contracting parties" did aof
comprise every member state in the
league, and that. therefore, the "buf-
/ den assumed by the high contractiAG
sibly the big fve-is crushing in i0
weight"
Warns of Central Powers.
The senator warned especially
against leaving the central powex1
out of the league. saying the fnevit-
able result would be ito drive theN
more closely together for mutua3
nation of second league of nations
bidding for adherence from neutral
states almost a certainty"
Thus, at no distant date" he con-
tinAcd we should have two great
leagues of nations and two great
suontinued on Second Pa1s.l