Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-05

New York, March 5.-Wllllam howard
Taft. in his speech on the league OF
nations at the Metropolitan opera House
last night, said In part:
THE Importance of providing for a re-
duction of armament every one recog-
nizes. II Is affirmed III. the newly pro-
posed Senate resolution. Can we not
trust our Congress to fix a Limitation safe
for the country and stick TO It? II we
can't, no country can. Yet all the rest
are anxious to do this. They are far
more exposed than we.
b. "And right here wish to take up the
objection made to the league that under
this machinery we might be compelled
TO receive immigrants contrary to our.
national desire from japan or China.
We could and would refuse to
submit the issue to arbitration. 1t
would then go to mediation. In my
judgment, the council as a mediating
body should not take jurisdiction to con =
slider such a difference
These articles compelling submls-
sion of differences either to arbitration
or mediation are not complete machinery
for the settlement by peacable means
But they are substantial step for
ward. They are an unambitious plan to
settle as many questions as possible by
arbitration or meditation. They illus
trate the spirit of those who drafted
this covenant and their sensible desire
not to attempt more till after actual ex-
perlence.
Right Of Defense Unimpsired
THE next covenant is that the ma
tions shall not begin war until three
months after the arbitration award or
the recommendation of compromise. and
not then IL the defendant nation against
whom the award or recommendation has
been made shall comply with It. This Is
the great restraint of war imposed by
the covenant upon members oe the
league and nonmembeN. 1t is said that
this would prevent our resistance to a
border raid of Mexico or self-defense
against any invasion. This Is a most
extreme construction. If a nation re-
fuses submission at all, as It does when
II begins an attack. the nation attacked
is released instanter from its obligation
to submit, and is restored to the COM
plete power of self-defense Had this
objection not been raised in the Sem
ate, one would not have deemed 1t neces-
sary to answer SO unwarranted sug-
gestion.
"The third covenant, the penalizing
covenant, is that II a nation begins war
in violation of its. covenant. then. ipso
facto, that 1t is an act Of war against
every member of the league. and the
members of the league are required def
nitely and distinctly to levy boycott
on the COMMUNICATING nation.
Penalty Of boycott Great Deterrent
"The extent of this penalty and Its
heavy. withering effect when the hos
tile action includes all members of the
league as well as all nonmembers, may
be easily appreciated.
will our country be forced by these
covenants into lot of little wars all
over the face of the world?
Now in the first place. the existence
OF the league and Its covenants and the
Immediate self-acting boycotts will re-
strain most nations, especially small
nations. from incurring the penalty of
complete world ostracism. The back
ground of possible united force will be a
further restraint. II will minimize war
everywhere. The risk of war for the
members under the covenant Is. there
fore, not to be compared with the dan
ger of a recurrence of general war with
out the league and its covenants Into
such a war We are bound to be drawn,
with all its horrors.
objection is made to the constitution
of the executive council, with the sug-
gestion that Great Britain might have
more delegates therein than other coun-
tries. This is an error. The British
empire. which. Of course. includes the
dominions, is limited to one delegate in
the executive council. Provision is made
I,,g xftht xhta nf txx.r 4, ,i,-.I.
of the body OF delegates new members
may be admitted who are Independent
states or are seIf-governing dominions
or colonies. Under this Canada and
Australia and South Africa might be
admitted as delegates. I presume. too
the Philippines might be admitted
objection Is made that the covenant
of the league Is a departure from the
traditional policy of the United States
following the advice of Washington in
avoiding cntangling alliances with Eu-
ropean nations. The European war in
which we were drawn demonstrates that
the policy Is no longer possible for the
United states. It is out of It's swaddling
clothes. 1t has ceased to be struggling
nation i- -,
Time to Change Traditions
objection is made that the covenan,
destroys the Monroe Doctrine. The Mon
roe Doctrine was announced and adopted
d, TO keep European monarchies from over
throwing the independence of govern
ments In this hemisphere and fastening
their system upon those governments
The sum and substance of the Monroe
Doctrine Is that we do not propose in
our own interest TO allow European ma.
tions or Aslatic nations TO acquire, be-
or purchase and intrigue, territory
political power o. Ss..-ategical oppor-
tunity from the cGIsDries of this hemi.
sphere. Article 10 of the league Is
of territory or power.
THE European nations desire our en-
trance into this league. not that the,
may control America, but to secure oui
aid In controlling Europe. and ventur,
TO think that they would be relieved Il
the primary duty Of keeping 'reace and
policing this western hemisphere wat