Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1919-08-23

~ ILL t-9t lAs-AsfiS ~ ti---t
al unable 70 understand my suel
ioucts should Dc ent4rtai1ea. iou vii
reea,i taa1 Uns1 had the pleasure Of
4 conference with Four committee ana
representatives on foreign affairs at
the White House in March last, the
questions now most frequently asked
about The league Of nations we're all
canvassed, with view to their im-
mediate clarifioation. The covenant
of The league was then in its first
draft and subject to revision. 1t Was
pointed out that no express recogni-
ton was given 10 the Monroe doctrine,
tlkit it was not expressly provided that
the league should have no authority TO
act or to express a Judgment on mat
| fers OF domestic policy. that the right
70 withdraw from The league was mol
expressly recognized and that the con
| stitntional rights of the congress TO de-
termine all questions of peace and
war was not sufficiently safeguarded.
On my return to Paris all these mat
ters We're take up again by the com
mission on the league of nations and
every suggestion Of the United States
was accepted.
THE view Of the United States with
| regards TO the questions | have men
TONED had liz fact, already been accept
ed by the commission and there WIS
SUPPOSED to be nothing Inconsistent
with them IN he draft of the cove
nant first adopted, the draft which was
! the subject Of our discussion in March
| but no objection was made to anything
explicitly in the text that all had sup
posed to be implicit in ii.
The Monroe doctrine is expressly
mentioned as an understanding which
is in no way to be impaired OF inter
fered with by anything contained 10
f., the covenant and the expression re
siional understanding ike Tie ~1onr0e
doctrine. " vas used. not because any
one of the Confer encs thought there
WIS ny comparable agreement any
54ara else il e1isrenea or in contcn1-
piaricn, but only because It "as
thou gnr pcer to avoid tic appearance
81 dealing in such d document with
the pclicg G. single nation.
Win regard 10 domestic quegtions,
Article Z, Il oi the coronant cypress
u proTides that, il II Gaze OF any
dispats arising between man5els Of
the league the matter involved is
clciEed Is che Of the parties and is
19g.Td e. the coGnciI t. arse oar OF
matter which by International law is
soiaiy Titnin the domestic Jurisdiction
! OF that party, tie council Sl.,il 50 re-
port ana shail make 10 rec5n1ll enda
rioL as &c It's settlements. .1ne United
States zvs.s ~ II means tie c1lg .gs-
cg1.is:l-c :r1cr:scei 4 tue eIpl-c,s
a.s.ruc. Of III. ptor-s.cE. aLd there i
- DOUBT u tna inipi II an g4tlJr
i-st'ge s-l5eat e i3ce@nst,oz-s4 iaT
thai such matters as ir-r glagt.u, tar
iffS an. uatIial.z3cz9l are sn-cntest.
X domestic questions With .eLi-n 10
sIAati9ual toay c3ul& csa,.
The right Of any s,at. 10 withdraw
isad been taken Ter granted Dut 40
objection was made 10 making il e1.
piicit. Indeed, so soon DIS the views
ee pressed at the White House confer
ence Were laid before the commissions
ii was at once conceded that il was
best not 10 leave the answer to so
important question to Inference. No
proposal was made TO set up any trib.
unal to pass Judgment upon the queS.
| ton whether withdrawing nation has
in fact fulfilled all its International
| obligations and all its obligations I'M
! der the covenant. 1t was recognized
| that that question must be left TO be
resolved by the conscience Of The ma
ton proposing 10 withdraw, ana
must say that il did not seem to me
worth while to propose that the article
be made more explicit because / know
that the United States would never IL
self propose to withdraw from the
league If its conscience gas not en-
tirely clear as 10 the fulfilment of all
It's international obligations. Ii has
never failed to fulfil them and never
will.
Article Is in no respect of doubtful
me aiming when read in the light of the cove
nant whole. The council of the league
can only advise upon" the means by which.
the obligations Of that great article are to
be given effect to. Unless the United States
is party to the policy action in question
her affirmative vote in the council is
necessary before any advice can be given fOi
q unanimous vote Of the council Is required
Ii she is q party, the trouble is hers anyhow,
end the unanimous vote OF the council is only
advice in any case. Each government Is
free 10 reject it ii it pleases. Nothing could
have been more clear 10 the conference tha.
ihs right OF our congress under our consii-
tuition 10 exercise its Independent judgment
in all matters of peace and war. No attempt
made TO question limit that right. The
United States will indeed undertake under
Article TO respect and preserve a. against
external aggression the territorial integrity
of all members of the league" and that en-
gag.ment constitutes very grave and sol
moral obligation. Bat il il moral
no. legal obligation and leaves our con
sress absclutely frse 70 Eat Its own inter2re-
tation upca ii IL ali oasos that call fo1
action
article * sss.ns 70 ne 70 constitute tne
,ery rscshcae of the wloie co-c-ant ,T-.tn-
- iN-~--o I'D no r-@,,.--