The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-07-17
SWANSON FIRES
FIRST SHOT IN
TREATY BATTLE:
Sounds Keynote of Administra-
ton Defense of League of Ma
ions--Soyereignty Not In
vaded, He Declares.
BY Associated Press.

uiy ioioAhS
the League of Nations covenant as
Zone Of the worlds greatest docu-
ments,'' Senator Swanson, of Vir-
ginia, a democratic member of the
foreign relations committee, told
the Senate today that if the Unit
ed States rejected the league it
would mean that she would
skuIk in the greatest world crisis
that ever occurred"
The speaker defended the
league against the objections that
it would sacrifice sovereignty and
American traditions and asserted
that, on the contrary, it would re.
suit in immense material gain in
protecting American integrity and
preventing war. He declared il
would not create a super-govern-
ment, involve Objectionable obi,
cations nor inValidate the Monroe
doctrine. . .,o #. ,c.,..
The pathway Of our duty is plain
said Senator Swanson. Let us not
be frightened by our own prodigious
shadow as It projects itself into world
affairs. Let US not be deferred from
our manifest duty and destiny by a
craven fear OF becoming great in CIV
Ing service ard direction to a world in
"a direst hour OF Its need and distress"
keynots Of Defense.
The keynote of the administrations
defense Of the league as sounded in
Senate Swanson's speech is:
The requirement for concurrence OF
the United States in every decision OF
the league council absolutely guaran-
tees this nation against ,surrendering
its sovereignty" >ryv. .'.: ~
swanson answered In detail every
objection OF the league covenant. In
each case he pointed to the provision
that each decision Of the council must
be by unanimous vote, including tina
the United States. After the coun-
ciiiihas acted congress still has power
TO refuse American acceptance OF the
advice, Swanson declared.
Pointing out that the wal a shak-
en- the social order. to its foundation
the Virginia senator said II was the
paramount obligation of responsible
w SuSiI VII
flagratfon, which would return the
world ito the rule of brute force and
barbarism in the dark ages"
On Monroe Doctrine. .
Answering objections to the article
affecting the Monroe, doctrine, which
guarantees the validity of engage
ments such as treaties of arbitration
or regional understandings, like the
Monroe doctrine. for securing the
! maintenance OF peace" Senator Swan
son declared, the article made a clearly
explicit reservation" of the doctrine
IF any conflict should arise between
the provisions of the covenant and the
Monroe doctrine" he said, as far as
we are concerned. the provisions of the
covenant are annulled and the Mon
roe doctrine survives. We accept the
covenant with this clear reservation
Objections that the doctrine is moi
properly described in the article Mr.
Swanson declared unfounded. E',
Retain Sovereignty.
THE covenant Of the league has beer
assailed from two opposite sources
he continued. THE league will neither
be a super-state nor sovereign, nor 6
helpless powerless association of ma
lions. The instrument creating the
league Is a covenant entered into by
sovereign states. One Of the attributes
OF sovereignty is the ability to max.
covenants or agreements. That a stats
reserves it's full sovereignty is conclu.
sively settled by the provision allowing
any member to Withdraw. No nation
superior or otherwise, ever thus ex,
pressly provided o for its disso.
luton.
80
- This covenant If ratified by the en-
tente would be no more nor less than
treaty legalized under our constitution
The plan for the formation of tbt
league Is, sllilfully conceived, and the
only one possible under existing politi
cal conditions.
THE assembly If the league will bt
composed OF representatives of thu
members who will be selected in &C
/ cord with the laws of the respective
states. In the case Of the United States
states In the case Of the United States
the representatives, being officers ere
ated by the treaty, would be appointed
as provided by an act Of congress
Much opposition has been urged BE-
cause a great nation like the United
80 States has only M vote I'm the assem-
bly,. But what difference does the num-
UtI VI bOLOo MANY "ISn EpNh. HA ana
portant matters the action Of the as
sembly' must be unanimous. or have
the unanimous concurrence Of the
council upon which the United States
Is permanently represented?
'The league could never be organ
tzed on any basis other tina that ot
equal representation. II members IRE
accorded difference in representation
upon what basis should rne appor-
tionment be made, Il upon population
China and lnoia would dominate the
league and the United States would
have only, one fifteenth of the mum
Der. r based upon wealth and mill
tary. the situation would be equally
az uncertain and unsatisfactory.
Disarmament Proviso.
what better plan for disarmament
- could be devised? = The council is di-