The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-05-03
CAN LEAGUE PRESERVE PEACE?

reserve judgment on the new covenant OF
the League Of Nations than it was to
withhold their approval of the original
compact until careful analysis and con-
structive criticism had afforded complete
understanding of the terms.
AS soon as a summary of the new cove
nant was given out few days ago con-
fusing statements began to be made. One
dispatch had this to say:
"The amendment exempts domestic
questions from arbitration or inquiry by
the league"
The covenant does nothing of the kind.
The supporters ofsthe new compact are
bound in honor and conscience not to mis-
represent the contract. The country will
insist that there shall be no false pretense
in the propaganda for League of Ma
tons.
The league will have two controlling
bodies-a supreme council and an assem-
bly,. "Both can deal with any matter that
is of international interest or that threa-
tens the peace of the world; the decision
of both must be unanimous except in cer-
tain specified cases, etc."
It would seem therefore, that questions
of immigration which are Of information
al interest-and most Of them are-or
which theraten the peVce of the world
and some Of them do-can be dealt with
by either the supreme council or the as
sembly.
But, it will be said, there is special re-
striction which exempts domestic ques-
tons and immigration is domestic ques-
ton. Before we assent to this PROPOSE
ton let us analyze the article in which
this supposed restriction is contained. In
the official summary it is described as
follows: Ito submit all international dis
putes either to arbitration or to inquiry
by the council, WHICH LATTER, how
ever, may pronounce an opinion on any
dispute whose subject matter falls solely
within a states domestic jurisdiction"
1t is manifest therefore, that domes-
tic question which has become the sub
ject of international dispute must be sub
mitted to arbitration. 1t is only the SUI
preme council which is debarred from
passing on such a dispute. The court of
arbitration must pass on it. No nation
can escape adjudication because each ma
ton in the league binds itself to submit
to inquiry by the council or to arbitration
of all questions that are of international
interest or that may lead to war.
Such being the apparent import of the
various clauses, can it be argued validity
that the Japanese immigration question
and the laws of denying japanese certain
rights and privileges are exempt from the
jurisdiction of the league? The plain i'm
plication is that these questions must be
taken up by the league whenever they be-
come Of international interest or whenev-
er they tend to involve the disputants in
war. lnasmuch as such disputes are al
ways of international interest they can be
taken up even before there is any threat
of war. AS soon as the dispute begins it
is OF, international interest.
Article X which requires each member
nationNto respect and preserve the terri
torial integrity and political independ-
ence Of every other member nation re-
mains in the covenant In another article
there is apovision that armed support is
not obligatory, but it is not clear whether
that applies to the question of territorial
integrity. 1t may apply only to war upon
"outlaw nations" which have refused to
abide by the decree of the league.
But granting that the United States
will not be required to employ its navy or
its army to preserve the territories of
France, Italy, Japan or Great Britain, or
any other member nations, what would
honor dictate in certain emergencies