The sun., 1919-09-26
LEGION DEMANDS
LEAGUE CHANGES
Wcstchester Veterans Assert
1t Does Not Adequately Pro-
!; tect Americans.
IS A "wICKED IDEALIsM"
Equal Vote With Britain and
Monroe Doctrine Safe
guards Called For.

Resolutions denouncing the present
covenant Of the League of Nations and
urging the United States Government
10 keep out of It unless 1t Is changed
radically, were adopted yesterday al
ternoon by the Westchester Convention
of the American Legion, in session in
the Court House in White Plains. The
veterans, through the resolution. de-
clared that the league as 1t stands does
not adequately protect Americas ma
tonal life as a free and independent
people. and characterized it as wicked
idealism" Charles II. Duell, Jr., was
chairman of the convention. The reso-
ntions~fn full follow:
whereas, the American Legion has
been created primarily to safeguard
Americanism, liberty, our national SOW
ereignty and the best traditions of
American life, and in joining the same
we did so to uphold these very things
If need be against the world-and
Whereas. to-day we believe there Is
great danger that these principles may
be acrifced-destroyed in fact--as eff
fectively as if the independence which
the Thirteen Colonies fought for had
been lost or never fought for. and In
that event, If this danger is not averted,
the United States will have lost its
leadership and independence in world
affairs and we will to that extent be-
come again colony of another ma
ton that after one hundred and forty
three years has become the real victor"
and
IA Il
the nation is the present attempt to force
adoption by the United States of Amer
lea of League of Nations which does
not as it. now stands. adequately safe
guard our national life as people, free
and independent, and now therefore be 1t
RESOLVED, BY the American Legion of
Westchester, in convention assembled.
that we protest most vigorously against
this attempt on the part of certain ele-
ments in our own country to undermine
the American character and to foist upon
the nation a wicked idealism which ban
ishes all the practical safeguards for thu
country's future that have hitherto stood
the test of time and is contrary to the
purpose of liberty, for which America
entered the war and for which We vet
Grams Of the war offered our LIES blood
and sacrificed to maintain.
"And so be 1t further resolved: The
American Legion, realizing that the
League of Nations Is by no means a
PARTY or political issue-but rather a
national calamity. and disaster II
adopted as at present drawn that we
therefore stand opposed to any League
Of Nations which does not adequately
proetct:
THE Monroe Doctrine, which
America alone shall interpret.
Our domestic affairs from foreign
Interference or domination.
"3-Our right Of withdrawal from
the league-the United States to be the
sole judge of whether or not her inter-
national obligations have been fulfilled.
"i-That any action by the United
States under so-called Article x. shall
be had only as Congress shall deter
mine.
rs. That the vote of the United
States in the League of Nations shall
at all times be equal to the vote of the
British Empire and toward that end we
heartily indorse the red blooded atti-
,tude of the Foreign Relations Committee
Of the United States Senate in favorably
reporting such reservations and amend
ment as above outlined, and We COM
mend those Senators who on the floor of
the Senate and elsewhere are making
the fight to preserve American indepen-
dence.
And in view OF the fact that this ac-
ton taken by the veterans of Westches-
ter, one of the great counties Of the
State Of New York. is typical. in their
opinion. of the same feeling existant
among their fellow veterans everywhere.
with whom they fought side by side. and
with whom they have learned to think
nd ufn nd rhav, fla
nation is In danger 1t is hereby ordered
that a copy of this resolution be for
Warded to the Foreign Relations Com.
miitce OF the Senate. 10 every United
States Senator and to the President of
the United states in the hope that the
deep and earnest convictions. OF men who
fought their country's fight may help to
avert disaster