New-York tribune., 1919-04-29
The Revised Covenant


The preamble of the revised covenant
says the contracting parties "agree to
this covenant" instead of "adopt this
constitution"
An Improvement in the direction Of
honesty. There is no constitution; at
most spineless and inconsistent agree
ment whose affirmative parts are con-
sumed and nullfed by negative ones,
thus making it equally unsatisfactory to
both internationalists and nationalists.
The principal alterations are four,
each lessening the power of the assocla-
ton. If the first draft had no teeth,
this one scarcely has an alveolar process
in which teeth are embedded. The
sanctionless arrangement, less SPECIFIC
than the Hague convention, erects de-
batting society whose resolutions, if any
miraculously meet the requirement of
unanimity, are energized by only few
grains of moral gunpowder.
The first and most important amend
ment provides that in the council of
nine members a decision can be arrived
Rt Only Dy d QudIllLlOuS NOIts w lietb tiiio
means needs no description. If the issue
is one to secure unanimity it will be easily
adjusted by ordinary diplomacy. If not
SO resolvable, then decision is
impossible. In the case Of Fiume, Italy
could veto the judgment of the eight
others.
The next amendment gives right 10
withdraw on two years notice. Thus is
added another element of dsntegra-
ton. The covenant has been falsely
likened to the American Federal Union.
Yet one looks vainly to find in our Con-
stitution similar free privilege of Sc
cession. The requirement for two years
notice is, of course, of little deterrent
value. A dissentient, by not appointing
delegates, would be able to quit practi-
cally at will.
The third change prescrlbes that the
league may not pass on domestic ques-
tions." What are domestic questions is
underlined, except that they are to be
what international law recognizes as
such. But international law notoriously
traces no clear line between domestic
and international questions. Tariff poll
cies and racial equality, for example,
are the subject matters of innumerable
treaties. When it sent Commodore
Perry to Japan our government said
Japan could not follow a policy of ex-
clusveness A similar doctrine not long
ago was followed by Great Britain with
respect to hermit Tibet. To-day the
Japanese plead international law against
discriminatory exclusion No authority
pretends to say what international law
permits or forbids, and to imply that it
does is grossly deceptive.
The fourth amendment, mentioning tho
Monroe Doctrine, is plainly a fraud
Nothing, it Is said, shall affect the valid
ity of regional understandings like the
Monroe Doctrine for securing the main
tenance Of peace" The Monroe Doctrine
is not regional understanding, nor is
it primarily to maintain peace 1t was
proclaimed by this nation acting alone,
and has been objected to by American
countries, the latest protest coming the
other day from Mexico. 1t was pro-
claimed, not to promote peace, but to
enable the United States to protect her
self against war. We ordered Europe to
stay away. The Doctrines basis is thus
the same as that which supports Italy's
claims to the Eastern Adriatic and
French claims for Rhine bridgeheads.
We feared dangerous neighbors. Such
Is the Monroe Doctrine, as every Amcri
can schoolboy knows.
Passing to other matters, it appears
that ubiquitous Article x, which guar
antees all existing national boundaries
remains unchanged. The world is to be
placed in straitjacket, the status ouo
frozen; there is sin against the Holv
Ghost OF developing liberty. If the
article had been the law in 1776 Rocham.
oeau and Lafayette could have been
asked TO fight against us--woud have
been forbidden to fight for us. If the
law IN 1893, Cuba, the Philippines and
Porto Rico would still be Spanish DOS.
sessions, and IL the law in 1904. Colono-
ola could have prevented the digging OF
the Panama Canal and the people OF
Panama could have been hclnlesa
against outrageous arbitrary power.
Article x forbids wholesome political
change, and alone furnishes reason whv
The covenant should be unratified.
information is at last furnished M
TO the membership Of the league. The
Assembly, or lower house, wherein each
member Is TO have one vote and which
IN 70 elect four Of the nine members Of
the executive council, is TO consist Of
forty-'ive nations and colonies. OF these