Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-26
Today's Letter Takes Up

ed, authorized. but it Is not subject
ed to q penalty. Unless the nations
are prepared to enforce compliance,
and I present they are not, the pre-
vention of war can hardly be carried
farther. But 1t may be observed tina
after a unanimous report. which
would undoubtedly be supported by
, the public opinion of h world, the
cases in which q nation failed TO COM
! ply would be very rare.
Where the recommendation Is not
I unanimous the danger Is greater. In
effect no judgment has been render
! ed; all the states represented on the
Council may publish their opinions
and the members of the League re-
serve the right to take such action
as they think. In short, the effort or
the League to adjust h dispute have
failed. But again we must remember
that even in such O. case war or gross
injustice Is improbable. Time will have
been given for calm consideration,
! and the efforts of all the countries
not directly involved will be exerted to
avoid war@influences that are power
full for peace.
When the dispute Is referred to the
! Assembly the same rules apply, ex-
! cept hat a recommendation is effec-
tive If supported by the representa-
| tfves of all the states with seats upon
the Council and O majority of the rest.
Domestic Affairs
Only one other provision of this
! Article remains to be considered. To
obviate the fears OF many Americans
that such matters as immigration and
tariffs might, as subjects of dispute,
be brought before the Council and the
| authority of the nation ove them be
impaired, a clause was inserted, that
If either party claims. and the Coun-
Gil finds. that the matter in dispute Is
one which by international law Is
solely within the jurisdiction of that
hparty, the Council shall so report and
make no recommendation as to its
settlement" This clause inserted for
that express purpose would seem to
cover the point completely. Never
theless IL is objected that the Council
may differ in opinion from the United
States and thus our legislative rights
may be restricted. To such an OBJ
lection there are two In the
first place the desire of other coun-
tries to preserve heir internal indie
pendence is as strong as our own.
1t is uncomfortable that the other
states represented on the Council
should unanimously decide that the
tariff, or any other internal matter
that we claim to regulate for our
selves. is not a domestic affair; n 1t
is only unanimously that an effective
judgment against us could be given
In regard to the most sensitive point
of all, that of immigration, If England
were to vote that 1t vas not under do
mestic control, it might break up the
League, but, in view of the feeling in
Canada, South Africa and Australia, it
would certainly disrupt the British
Empire. The second answer is that
one cannot make a contract and insist
that the Interpretation of 1t shall al
ways be in ones own hands The
clause Is perfectly definite, its object
is perfectly understood; and If we can
trust none of the other principal
members of the League to act honest
ly, fairly and reasonably let us make
no League with themS and leave the
world in the state of mutual suspicion.
distrust and suppressed hostility that
is a discredit to civilization n a
curse to mankind.