The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-28
LEAGUE PLAN
Will Benefit
EUROPE MOST
SAYS LODGE
Present Plan Would Engsp6er
Strife and Misunderstand-
ing Instead of Safeguarding
Peace, He Declares.
DOCTRINE IN DANGER
(By Associated Press,

(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator
Lodge. of Massachusetts,, solemnly
warned the American people today to
carefully weigh the constitution of
the league Of nations as presented to
the peace conference at Paris and to
insist upon its fundamental revision.
Speaking in the senate. the Republf-
can floor leader declared his convic-
ton that instead Of safeguarding the
peace of the world. the league as now
Planned. would engender misunder-
standings and strife.
Delivering his first public utterance
on the subject since the constitution
became public. the Massachusetts SEN
ator vigorously opposed the plan and
made specific recommendations for
amendment. He declared that as now
drafted, the constitution would con-
travene the Monroe doctrine, strike at
American sovereignty, involve America
IN all foreign disputes, substitute in
ternationalism for nationalism and be
Of benefit principally to Europe.
Expressing complete sympathy with
the popular demand and efforts to-
ward an agreement for world peace,
Senator Lodge said he was not pre-
pared to say that there could not be a
concert Of the nations to safeguard
against war, but he insisted that the
agreement for such a concert should
be drawn up calmly and deliberately
when the world was at peace and not
hastily when war still existed.
Germany Reaching Out
Much time has been wasted" he
said. The delays have bred restless
ness and confusion everywhere. Ger
many is lifting her head again. The
whimpering after defeat is changing
to threats. She is seeking to annex
nine millions of Germans in German
Austria. She is reaching out in Rus
sia and reviving her financial and
commercial penetration everywhere.
Germany is again threatening and the
only source of great war is to be
found for the future as for the past
in Germany. She should be chained
and fettered now and this menace to
world peace removed.
Unless some better constitution for
league than this can be drawn. it
seems to me that the worlds peace
ly promoted, by allowing the United
States to go on under the Monroe
doctrine, responsible for the peace of
this hemisphere, without any danger
Of collision with Europe as to ques-
tions among the various American
states, and II a league is desired. It
might be made up by the European
nations whose interests are chiefly
concerned, and with which the United
States could cooperate fully and at
any time, whenever cooperation is
needed.
ut must also be remembered that
If the United States enters any league
Of nations 1t does SO for the benefit
of the world at large and not for its
own benefit. II we join a league it
must be with the view Of maintaining
peace in Europe where all Of the
greatest wars have originated. Our
share in any league must be wholly
for the benefit Of others"
Danger Of Quarrel.
Declaring that the tentative consti-
tuition is open to amendment and to
change, being merely a committee re-
port, Senator Lodge said 1t shoJ1d be
widely considered and discussed to
give the peace conference complete
opinions.
"As 1t stands" he said, "there Is
serious danger that the very nations
which sign the constitution will quar-
rel about the meaning of the various
articles before twelve months have
passed.
1T seems to have been very hastily
composed and the result is crudenesr.
Before we ratify, the terms and the
language must be as exact and as
precise, as free from any possibility
of conflicting interpretations as 1t is
possible to make them. The explana-
ton or Interpretation Of any at these
doubtful passages is not sufficient II
made by one man, whether that man
be the president of the United States,
a senator or anybody else"
In detailed criticism of the present
constitutional form. Senator Lodge
said:
1--WE abandon entirely the policy laid
down by Washington in his farewell
address and the Monroe doctrine. It
Is worse than idle, 1t is not honest to
evade or deny this fact. In the twink
ling Of an eye. while passion and emo
tion reign. the Washington policy is
to be entirely laid aside and We are to
enter on q permanent and indissoluble
alliance.
Monroe Doctrine Abandoned.
Under the terms Of this league
draft, the Monroe doctrine disappears.
have seen 1t said that the Monroe
doctrine IL preserved under article
ten; that we do not abandon the Mon
roe doctrine. we merely extend It to
all the world. How anyone can say
this passes my comprehension Under
this draft American questions and
European question and Asian and Al
rican questions are all alike put With
in the control and Jurisdiction Of the
league"
Criticixing the territorial guarantee
provision. Senator Lodge said that the
United States would join In the obIixa-
ton TO maintain all national boundar-
les everywhere which. he said, was
70 very grave, very perilous prom
ise to make. TT would require" he
Continued On Paos Twslve)