Arizona republican., 1919-02-20

| Uu1kEN LII Uue U SEED IF VAR NIT. PEACE DOCUMENT.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-In the first prepared address on the league of na- tions delivered in the senate since the constitution of the proposed league was made public, Senator Poindexter of Washington, republican. today declared the entrance of the United States into the league would mean a surrender of American rights, privileges and sovereignty, the abandonment of the Monroe doctrine and a violation of the constitution. The constitution of the ! league, he asserted, was conflicting, in- ! definite and uncertain and the machin- , cry which it proposes to set up, similar 1 to the soviet government of Russia" " No such colossal burden or en- 1 tangling alliance was ever before con- ceived Tn the world" the senator said. ] Instead of being an instrument of peace it is the fertile seed of war ! the dragons teeth from which, when sown, armed soldiers will spring"
 Through participation in the draft
 ing of the leagues constitution, Sena- tor PoindeXter declared the United States 'had| been led to a point where
 we are now facing an abyss If the
 senate should ratify the proposed con-
 stitution and sanction the entrance of the United States into a league of na- tions. without submission of the ques- ton ito the American people in poi-
 tical campaign. where it shall have
 been made the issue and upon which
 they will have an opportunity to rem
 der judgment in aan election he de-
 clared, 'the self government in
 America will have disappeared.
 U. s. Autonomy Involved
 Tn adopting or rejecting this con-
 stitution," said Mir Poindexter and
 thereby becoming or not becoming a
 member of the league established un-
 der it, the government and the peo-
 pie of the United States will determine
 whether they are to remain the great sovereign and independent nation. a
 people controlling their own destiny
 determining for themselves the extent
 of their military preparations, the size of their armes and navies, and estab-
 fishing for themselves their interna tional relations; or whether they are ! to merge their destinies with those oi of her .NF their burdens, participating in theil
 quarrels and becoming a party to al
 international complications"
 } Referring to the request of President Wilson that the congress refrain iron discussion of the league until he could r meet with the foreign affairs commit } tees, Senator Poindexter asserted i
 was matter of two much impor t tance for us to remain altogethel { silent and that mo harm can be don, l by full discussion" of a document O l which the world was purposely kep 7 in entire ignorance" until it cam t forth full panoplied, as though borl r from the head of love-"
 2 Taking up the provisions of tn l leagues constitution, the senator de l clared that the document contained n provisions for it's abrogation or for tn y withdrawal of a nation. He said tha e doubtless the leagues advocates Woul
 contend that the agreement might b
 abrogated at any time, but such h
 said was the contention of many of tn
 states which joined the federal unioT
 only to learn differently through tn
 bloodshed of a civil war. By the term
 of the constitutions he continued, tn . decision as to relative reduction of in army and navy of the United State in proportion to that of the great rivf powers, would be taken absolutely or
 Of the jurisdiction of the people an
 government of the United States an
 vested in the Jurisdiction of the pee - pie and government of the Unite :, States and vested in the jurisdictio d of the league, where the United State ', has but one vote amid a large numb, e, of alien powers. This in itself, he ado = ed. would be in conflict with the COT h stitution of the United States
 le Gives Power to Declare War
 The power of congress to declal '- war, he said, would be taken ava |. also in violation of the constitutio u and vested in a tribunal, the gre; IS overwhelming majority of which T. composed of aliens not of our interes IS and institutions.
 ~ The league promises little guarant
 for futSre peace, he asserted, wh.
 those who drafted it's constitution ha- ~ not been able to restore present pea
 or set up orderly government in eel
 tfal Europe and Russia
 i Under provisions of the constituti, 10 providing for mandatories for coloni
 territories. Senator Poindexter said il st United States would be required .I undertake practically unsolicited al =, unsought to extend our responsibi] s y. ties and cares to the uttermost par ,' of the earth'
 CT While taking up the obligations T. government in Asia, Africa and F.
 rope, the United States, he said, wou ut surrender to Asia, Africa and EuroI T. American policies which have been t 10 prize jewels in the American diadem l. state" Declaring that the emergenci ga of the past which necessitated asse to ton of the principles of the Monr ,n doctrine, may arise in the future, Sen he tor Poindexter said he hoped the Anne n- ican people had not reached the poi ve where they were willing that "the hi or ideals of these traditional doctrin en would be left to the administration ed an alien tribunal. established under t
 league of nations