Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-10

VOTES Wnetu0I VI hui tuSS0 oAtV1aN ~
war. OF course, Unless all the ma.
tiofis OF the world agreed. this could
not b dons. II would nanifestlt be
Unjust for one nation to bs com.
PEELED to resort to referendum as
TO war while It's antagonist, without
q vote, proceeded to aggression.
But here in a league are. or ulti-
mately will be-. all the nations Of the
earth. If every nation agreed to a
referendum to its people before
declaration Of war. peoples in
stead Of rulers. humanity instead
of power. would decide whether
wars should be fought, and only
in the rarest instances would
there ever be war. and then
only in the clearest cases. Such
wars would be peoples wars. Upon
what theory do the gentlemen at
Paris pirate Of sell. determination.
the rights Of peoples, recognize the
referendum in matters of intimate
concern to peoples in small and
isolated communities and deny the
right when the decision means the
very life of human beings? The an
swer is this is not league to pro-
mote peace but to protect power.
Those who advocate it dare not
amend it SO that the issue of war
shall be made by the men and women
who must fight and die for it,"
Then. charactefizing Article 10 as
the most outrageous thing ever ala
tempted upon America he pro-
eeded to show how the powers in the
Holy Alliance, acting upon the in
famous doctrine of intervention de-
vised by Metternich. had under
the ir mutual agreement to protect
each other from external aggres-
sion" crushed popular uprisings for
freedom in Italy and Spain and re-
stored deposed monarchs to their
thrones of oppression of tyranny.
This was done upon Metternich's
theory that internal revolution might
result in external injury or agrees
sion.
How often Of late" said the sena-
tor. have We heard language con-
veying the same thought from those
who are advocating the League Of
Nations. If any people with a per-
feet case for freedom should rebel.
the advocates of the League of Ma
tons would enthusiastically rush in,
because this is exactly the design of
the League. Tomorrow 1t may lie
Ireland, aided in small part from the
outside. demanding that Of which we
have made mockery-self- de-
termination. Under our guaranty we
must prevent it. Parenthetically l
may remark that Ireland, it seems to
me. is in the position of a ntigant
with a perfect case who can get no
hearing. In year hence it may be
stricken and cruelty despoiled Korea.
or possibly even passive, humble.
robbed and weak China. And wheth-
er it be one or the other, the purpose
of the League Of Nations. under
Article 10. is to use the great wealth,
power and blood Of the great
democracy Of the earth to retain
revolving peoples. without regard to
the Righteousness o. their cause,
within the governments and powers
from which they would be free"
It was the announcement by the
United States Of the Monroe Doc.
trine, the senator reminded, which
compelled the nineteenth century
League Of Nations-the Holy Al.
liance-to refrain from their plan to
restore to Spain her American COL
onies, which had successfully re-
VOTED.
Now today" remarked the sena-
tor" this American doctrine. having
played its important role, is deliv-
cred into the custody of the same
sinister spirit which it exercised from
the world a century ago."
Senator Johnson asserted that it
was unthinkable that any American
wrote Article 10. or that any Ameri-
can could subscribe to it. He des-
cribed the amendment to the League
covenant alleged to be designed to
| safeguard the Monroe doctrine as "a
fraud. q delusion and a snare"
1T does not protect the Monroe
| Doctrine" he added. 1T could not
have been written with any other
| purpose than the destruction Of the
Monroe Doctrine"
In regard to questions like immi-
grafton, the senator declared that the
secret treaties and agreements be-
tween the member nations of the
| League would continue to be bind
| ing.
Just as Japan did with her secret
treaties and China" he observed,
lust so will she do with her secret
treaties and what she calls race dis
elimination. When the time seems
| propitious-and it will not be long
she will bring to the League Of Ma
tons our yet unsettled dispute over
our alien land law, and her pending
controversy respecting immigration,
| and her assertion of race discrimina-
ton by us. And when this is done,
the League will take charge of these
momentous questions and decide
| them"