Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-03-06
President Wilson Argues for a
League Of Nations and the
Senate Debates It.
OPPONENTS STANDING firm
Peace Delegates Approaching Agree
ment on Question Of Reparation--
Germany Torn by Civil Strife
and Roya,ists Plan Coup
d'Etat--Labor Trou-
bIes Here and
Abroad.
By EDWARD W. pIckA.p.

|
That unless the United States Joins
the league of nations chaos will re-
suit; that the Monroe doctrine is safe
because the constitutions of the league
expands it to cover the world and the
signatory nations will be obligated
to uphold it.; that it Is practically i'm
possible to amend the draft Of the
league plan that was adopted; that the
Limitations of the size of the army
and navy imposed by the league would
be only moral obligations and that the
restraint really would lie in the limi-
tation Of the production Of arms and
munitions, and that the United States
could withdraw from the league at any
time it saw fit-such in substance was
the explanation Of the great plan given
by President Wilson to the mem
[bers of the senate and house COM
tnittees on foreign affairs.
Mr.. Wilson dined the committeeman
and was frank, jovial and enthusiastic,
and answered all their questions free
ly, but after it was all over the wise
ones declared that he had not con-
verted single one of the opponents
of the league. These include both Re
publicans and Democrats, and during
the rest of the week they continued
their attacks on the plan. The spokes-
men Of the administration replied Wig.
orously, but there was reason to be
lieve that nearly every member OF the
senate, which must pass on the plan,
had his mind made up.
. In his Boston speech the president
fold the people very little about the
league, but in brilliant phrases he up.
pealed to the country to support the
plan, declaring that the rest of the
world relied on America at this juno
atIre. In this he Is .corroborated by
the British press, which shows some
anxiety over the opposition manifest
in this country, and some fear that
( America will not be willing to assume
her share of the burden of governing
the world. 1t is recognized, abroad
lind at home, that the American people
inight look askance at any proposition
that they accept mandates for such
territories as the former German colo.
shies In Africa, and the president says
that in Paris he firmly discouraged
amy such idea; but he thinks the Unit.
led States might we'll become the man
adatory for the Armenians. AS for the
newly organized nations of Europe, he
says 1t Is up to America to stand by
them, whether or not the league of aa.
itions is formed.
In France the opposition to the
league, based osfensibIy on the lack
of binding provision for the use OF
force to put its mandates into effect,
has largely died out because the crit
tics feared that opposition there and
lin America would kill the entire prof
Rect. The emissaries of the allied ma.
tions are NOW said to be In complete
harmony in this matter. Il
/ AS the week closed there were signs
that the principles Of the league might
be given tryout in settling the dis
pute between the Italians and the Jugo-
gSlavs. which had reached q critical
stage. The military commission of the
latter had expelled the Italian military
mission from Laibach, and In retail.
alton Italy closed the frontier, stopping
allafo0 trains carr wing relief for the
Jugo- saws and the Czecho- Slovaks.
On Friday the draft OF the new and