The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-07-31
ARTICLE TEN OF LEAGUE COVE
NANT WOULD FORBID WARS
OF AGGRESSION.

Inc HlOSt noteworthy
S Ss9G by % 9Dg geafa tbe Of D tas keaSgptSi Hg
x of the covenant-was proved a
Virginia in his keynote speech open
ing the real fight in the senate for
President Wilson's world peace pro-
gram:. Carefully a%nalyzing every
Senator Swanson closed with this
tribute to the united work of the
best minds of 20 nations Of the
world:
ct is one of the worlds greatest
documents, marking the beginning
Of a new and better order in world
war and strife, from the sunlight of
a future bright with peace and in
ternational cooperation and con-
Citation. Out of the Revolutionary
war, won by American valor and sac
rifice, emerged the Declaration Of
Independence. and the constitution
precious parchments yet conceived
by human mind. The constitution
when proposed was assailed with
virulence and. encountered propll-
ecies of dreadful calamities to fol-
low it's adoption exceeding anything
that has been directed against the
covenant.
"The pathway of our duty is plain.
We should neither hesitate nor halt,
but firmly align ourselves with the
forces that are working for world
betterment. With strong arms and
brave hearts let us faithfully dis
charge u responsibilities, as the
ly face a future which beckons us to
a greater glory and usefulness"
Prefacing his analysis, Senator
Swanson pointed out that the % ma
lions that framed the treaty repre-
sented nine-tenths of the worlds
lions, that estimates are that 7,400,,
900 men were killed and 7,175 900
permanently disabled, and that the
conclusion of the war finds the world
b%urdened with a public debt aggre-
eating 100 billion dollars, or one
third of it's total wealth.
The majority of the worlds great
war have been occasiOned by a de-
sire of conquest and to obtain addi-
tional territory" said Senator Swan
son, in discussing Article X, and he
summarized the chief objections as
follows:
"Those of our countrymen who
against this provision their most
ton. They have insisted that the
assumption by US of this obligation
would, embroil us in interminable
wars with all the attendant expense
and danger, They have presented
troops being Sent to every very part ntr' Of
the globe to settle netty territorial
quarrels. They contend that in
adopting this provision of the cove
nant the United States uses her great
power, without any recompense
whatever, to bring to other nations
1T should be noted that this is an
obligation assumed, not by the
League as an entirety, but by each
member individually" he continued.
Each member of the League un-
dertakes,. first, to respect the terri
torial integrity and existing politi-
cal independence Of all members.
each member that 1t will never en-
deavor to acquire by conquest or
aggression any of the territory or
possessions of any other member.
In common parlance, we would
agree not to- rob any of u associ-
ates in the League and they would
agree not to rob u.s..
eff this League is consummated,
as contemplated, it e immedi-
ately that four-fifths of the world,
and eventually all the world, agrees
to cease from wars of conquest and
despoilment. II adhered to it
would eliminate the causes which
have produced most of the wars Of
the past. If observed, there is not
q member of the League, great or
small, that eve would have its in
dividual political existence threaten
ed; and no more would the history
of the world be encountered with the
frightful wreck Of people and nations
through lust Of conquest.
'"The second obligation assumed
by each member of the League in-
d~ividually is to preserve a against
external aggression the territorial
integrity and existing political indie
pendence Of all members Of the
League This 10 natural eoroal-1
laIy from the 6rst. IN the 1ofnee Ne,