The Washington herald., 1919-04-20

uons OF this document except all the
nations together by agreement There
fore. the construction must be rea-
sonable. because Tit isn't. II won't
hold; and It's most unfair to assume.
in respect to 1t. constructions strained
TO make 1t mean something unreason-
able in order to defeat 1t, when In
actual practice 1t must needs have q
fair and moderate construction for
the benefit of all.
"The present unfair, broadside con-
struction Of the league advanced by
its opponents, which puts US in the
league under the control Of super
sovereign tthe executive counciD,
would give me great anxiety as to
the result and would create great Inn
patience AT the misleading effect OF
representation it produces as to what
the leagtfe really Is. were It not that
the covenant. as part Of the treaty OF
peace. Is to be submitted to the Senate
as a unit document.
1.-THE questions will then recur as to
whether we are. to have peace with
the covenant as 1t will then be in 1t.
or whether We are to continue in a
state of war until there can be an
other conference to make treaty TO
meet all the varying inconsistent and
impracticable objections of the oppo-
nents of the present league. who dit.
fer radically and ara only united in
opposing the present covenant.
THE situation then will. require a
closer examination Of the words Of
the covenant. which will completely
refute the present unreasonable claims
as to the effect Of the league. anc
compel the present proponents Of its
threatening and dangerous charac-
ter" to recall what they have said.
Plain People Favor II.
The plain people of France,
England and Italy have a passion
ate desire for the league because
they are war-weary. And the
plain people of the United States
respond to this. although not so
intensely, since they have not seen
all the horrors of war. The Fed
Grated Churches of the country Of
largest influence-the Catholic. the
Methodist. the Presbyterian. the
Episcopalian-are all for 1t. The
real spirit of the country Is for IT..
The women. who are much more
sensitive to the horrors of war
than the men. are for 1t. And
much more important. perhaps. is
the fact that all organized labor Is
for it.
"A faction in party ignoring
these elements and attempting to
give opposition to the league a
party color is neither loyal to the
party nor governed by considera-
tions that ought to weigh in a
great international question.
The contention that this league
VIII involve us in war instead of
Keeping us out of war has no foun-
dation. 1t Is certain that the OBJ
legations of the league will create
an Immediate. whitening ostracism
and isolation by all nations directed
against any country recklcssly be-
ginning war: and the further pros
pect that the nations will unite
their military forces to suppress
such nation. making the league q
tremendous power for peace.
Its very existence. with the
known penalty OF violating its OBJ
legations. will make the necessity
for the execution of the boycott or
for the use of force most infre-
quent and improbable.
Does Not Include Graft.
"As to the relation of the league
TO the Monroe Doctrine, Article 10,
in which all the high contracting
parties undertake to respect and
preserve against external aggres-
sion the territorial integrity and
political independence OF any mem
ber of the league unites all the
forces of the world in support OF
the main part of the Monroe Doc
trine as declared by President Mon