Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-26
rs THIS LEAGUE
OR NONE AT ALL; E;
SEN. HITCHCOCK
Nebraskan Explains Just
What Opposition to
Pact Means.

Baltimore. Sept. 26.-Declaring
that the world has never been con-
fronted by so stupendous an issue
as the peace treaty and League of
Nations, Senator Hitchcock of Nc
braska, who is leading the fight
for ratification in the senate, made
a plea for the treaty. without
amendment or reservation, before
the Baltimore Press club last
night.
Il regret" said Senator Hitch
cock, that the issue has become
involved in national politics in a
partisan sense. II is a question
too large and too vital to be made
partisan. The history of the world
is history of wars and tempor-
airy peace settlements. The ques-
ton now is whether we can make
this peace settlement permanent;
whether we can reform interna-
tional relations and do away with
wars, which have cursed the earth
in the past. To my mind the issue
Is plain. 1t is peace with a league
of nations or it is a continuation
OF the old program of war without
a league. If this present effort
establish the League of Nations
fails, the world will return to war
conditions. Every nation will re-
sumo preparations for war. No in
telligent man will be willing to
have his nation unprepared as long
as war is to be on the program
This League or None.
"It is not a question of having
this league or a better one. 1t is
a question Of having this league or
none. If this league fails, brought
forth as it has been by the terrible
exigencies of war with all the ad-
vantage of an international council
arranging the terms of peace, new
er in our day need we expect to
see a serious effort made to create
a league of nations. Discourage
ment and dismay will settle over
the world. Lawlessness and dis
order will hold possession in vast
areas OF the earth, and an oppor-
tunity will be given TO resume the
dreams of conquest that have for
the time being been shattered.
Anxious 10 Be Rid of War.
There can be no possible doubt
that the world wants to get rid of
war. The next thing to realize is
that this League of Nations now be-
fore the United States is not only
a remedy for war, but il is also
the only remedy that is proposed.
There is no other Its critics sug-
gest no other way They predict
no other. 1t is this or nothing if
we want IN YFpvaUt war
Claims Of Foes Answered.
The attempt to defeat the
League Of Nations has developed
along several very well defined
lines.
First, by ar appeal to distorted
and false Americanism. In this ef-
fort the pretense is made that the
league does not protect the Monroe
doctrine, that ii impairs the sover-
eign powers Of congress. that il
permits the council of the league
to force us into war. and that it
drags domestic questions like i'm
migration and tariff into the realm
Of international decisions subject
TO its jurisdiction. This is an un-
qualified Misrepresentation of the
league.
Second, it asserts the bold
falsehood that article IG of the
league will involve US in all Euro /
pean wars and make it necessary
10 send our boys to take part in !
them.
Prevents Wars.
THE first part of this misrepre- I
sentation consists in the assump-
ion that there will be frequent .
vars, whereas the pledges and !
guarantees which the members give !
o settle disputes by lawful meth |
IDS. make this assumption a reck- :
ess Misrepresentation. The league /
will make wars growing
'ut of disputes highly improbable. !
Article 10 deals with wars of con- I
quest in which one nation might at
empt to destroy the independence .
IT seize the territory Of another
such a war is provided all members (
mite in pledging each other mutual
against the loss of in
or territory. This
pledge instead of breeding war is
certain to prevent it because no
lation will attempt a war of con-
Iuest when it realizes that it will
lave to fight the whole world
Article 10 Like Monroe Doctrine.
Article 10 in this respect is like
he Monroe doctrine on a large
Gale 1t will prevent war instead
# producing it, Article 10, like
he Monroe doctrine, threatens war
S a penalty for an aggression, but
he threat instead of making war,
revents it.
when the Monroe doctrine was
and our republic noti-
ed the world that we would treat
S an act of the war on US any at
ack on any one of the little ma
ions of the western hemisphere,
here were some who condemned il /,
lst as critics now condemn article
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