The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-04-23
WHAT is ATTITUDE OF AMERICAN
PEOPLE TOWARD NATIONS LEAGUE?
Arguments For and Against Presented
articles by Tribune Staff Sees Final
Defeat of North by the South in Proposed Covenant

| guards enjoyed under the Monroe doc
trine, and open the western hemis
phere to the domination and dicta
ton Of European members Of thu
league?
| Would it deprive us of the right t
| determine what peoples or nationali
| ties could be barred from American
citizenship, or would it strike down
the bars so carefully built up against
| immigration from China and Japan?
These are some Of the questions up
on which doubt has been thrown by
discussion in the senate and alse
where, and upon which the American
people should have the ansWer-it
there Is an answer.
COULD We WITHDRAW
FROM THE LEAGUE.
The other questions involved, each
Of major Importance are:
Once we entered the league
COULD there be any withdrawal? lf
the United States, after a period as
member Of the league OF nations,
should find it infringed her sovereign
ty in vital ways or II for other rea-
sons she should wish to yield her
membership, could she withdraw after
having given due notice? Or would
secession from the league be to invite
war, as when the southern states at
tempted to secede from our own union
OF states?
Also: WOULD the United States,
as a member OF the league, have any
discretion in the acceptance OF man
datories or guardianship over nations
not to stand alone, or over peoples not
yet qualified for self.government? In
other words, could the European mem
bers OF the league wish" upon US the
guardianship OF the Balkans or OF Tur'
key or Of other troublesome states
they might not wish to stand respons.
ible for. if we did not wish to accept
such mandatory? ~ ~
Objections to the league insist that
these matters should at least be!
cleared up by having the answers
clearly written in the bond"
Among those whose views pro and
con will be given on these debated
questions of the league will be Presi-
dent Wilson, ex-President Taft, Sen
ator Knox, former Secretary of State;
loCHdLOl LOu6C, WIZ Will OC SAo1L IIIAA
Of the senate foreign affairs commit
tee in the next senate; senator Hitch
cock, retiring chairman Of tie foreign !
affairs committee; JUSTICE Stafford or
the supreme court OF the district OF
Columbia, and Senators Cummings.
Reed, Lewis, Owen, PoindeX,er. Dor
ali, McCumber, aHrdwick, LenroQt,
Phelan and others. In addition, the
views Of statesmen from George Wash
lngton and Thomas Jefferson to PTesi-l
dent Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson will
be presented upon the desira bility and
of some such covenant of
nations to safeguard and preserve in.1
ternational peace. . ..'. 'S
After all, most constitutions depend
upon their Interpretation" The
United States Supreme court has been
busy for over 100 years interpreting
our constitution, and occasionally still
finds something new in it. It is on
the declarations of it's preamble, which
states it's purpose to prevent
wars and to maintain peace, that the
of the constitution Of
the league Of nations must chiefly de-
pend. But, it is fairly asked, who "a
TO interpret this constitution? And
will the Interpretation be binding on
as. .f
Every contentious American should
study both sides Of this problem.