New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-02-19
ENTRANCE OF AMERICA INTO
PROPOSED LEAGUE MEANS TO
GIVE UP ALL SACRED RIGHTS
No Such Colossal Burden or
Entangling Alliance Was
Ever Before Conceived,
Sen. Poindexter Declares.
WANTS PEOPLE TO
VOTE ON QUESTION

Asserts 1t Is Peoples Privilege to De
tcrTninc Whether They Arc to Re
main Great independent Nation Or /
Arc to Share Their Dct:nicS With
Those OF Other Nations of the !
World.
Washington, Feb. 19.-In the first
prepared address on the league Of ma
tions delivered in the senate since the
constitution of the proposed league
was made public, Senator Po;ndexter
of Washington, republican, today de
clared the entrance of the United
States into the league would mean a
surrender of American rights. prlVl-
leges and sovereignty, the abandon
ment of the Monroe Doctrine, and
violation of the constitution. The con-
stitution of the league, he asserted,
was conflicting, indefinite and uncer-
tain, and the machinery which it pro-
poses to set up, similar to the Soviet
government of Russia"
Il Not Instrument of Peace.
mo such colossal burden or en-
tangling alliance was ever before con-
ceived in the world" the senator said.
Instead of being an instrument of
peace it is the fcrtilc seed of war
the dragons teeth from which, when
sown. armed soldiers will spring"
Through participation in the draft
ing OF the leagues constitution. the
senator declared, tho United States
had been led 80 a point where I'VE are
now facing an abyss If the senate
should ratify the proposed constitution
and sanction tho entrance Of the
United StateG into II league OF nations
without subm isgion of the question to
the American people in political
campaign where 1T shall have been
made the issue and upon which they
will have an opportunity to render
Judgment In on election" he declared,
"then scif-govcrnnen in America will
have disappeared"
UD to People to Decide.
I'm adopting or rejecting this con-
stitution," said Mr.. Poindcxter, "and
hereby becoming or not becoming a
member Of the league established un-
der it, the government and the people
Of the United States will determine
whether they are TO remain the great
sovereign and Independent nation,
w
determining for themselves the extent
of their military preparations, the size
of their armies and navies and estab-
fishing for themselves their interna-
tional relations; or whether they are
to merge their destines with those of
other nations of the world, sharing
their burdens participating in their
quarrels and becoming a party to all
international complications"
Too Important for Silc;lcc.
Referring to the request of President
Wilson that congress refrain from
discussion Of the league until he
could meet with the foreign affairs
committees, Senator PoindeXter assert
ed it was a matter of too much inn
portance for us to remain altogether
silent" and that mo harm can be done
by full discussion" of q document of
which the world was purpOsely kept
in entire ignorance until it came forth
full -panOplied, as though born from
the head of Jove.''
Taking up the provisions of tho
leagues constitution, the senator de-
clared that the document contained no
provision for its abrogation or for
the withdrawal of a nation He said
that doubtless the leagues advocates
would contend that the agreement
might be abrogated at any time, but
such, he said, was the contention of
many of the states which joined the
federal union, only to learn different-
! ly through the b1oodshed of a. civil
war."
Opposes Armament Reduction.
by the terms of the constitution no
continued the decision as to the rel
ative reduction of the army and navy
of the United States, in proportion
to that of the great rival powers,
would be taken absolutely out of the
jurisdiction of the people and govern
! ment of the United States and vested
in the jurisdiction of the league
where the United States has but one
vote amid a large number of alien
powers" This in itself, he added,
would be in conflict with the consti-
tuition of tho United states.
Congress Shorn OF Power.
e., The power of congress to declare
war, he said would be taken away,
also in violation Of the constitution,
and vested in a tribunal, the great
overwhelming majority Of which is
composed Of aliens to our interests
and institutions" The league prom
ises little guarantee for future peace
he asserted when those who drafted
RI its constitution have mot been able
10 restore present peace or set up Or
derly government in Central Europe
and Russia"
Under provisions of the constitution
providing for mandatories for colonial
y territories Senator PoindeXter said