New-York tribune., 1919-05-29
I)ares Reed to
Assail League
In Home State
Robinson, OF Arkansas, Says
Hell Defend IL TO His
People and ''We'Il See
who VIII BE Re-e:ected''
Ne1o York Tribune
VdsIlinntOn bltreClt

Washington blrccg
WASHINGTON, Nav Ex-senator
Robinson to-day challenged Senator
Reed, principal Democratic opponent
Of the league of nations in the Senate,
to go before the people Of his state on
the issue.
The challenge came as the climax TO
series of questions by Senator Reel
during q speech by Senator Robinson
on the resolution calling for the text
Of the peace treaty, in which he charged
that the opposition to the league is
partisan in its character.
III the Senator will go before the
| people OF Missouri on the issue OF a
league to prevent war, opposing the
proposition, am willing to go before
the people of the State OF Arkansas in
support of H." Senator Robinson chal-
lcnged, "and Let us see who would be
returned to the Senate"
Senator Reed explained that he was
as anxious as the Senator from Ar
/ kansas that war in the future snail be
prevented SO far as possible. and grace
fully added:
IF the Senator completely abolished
the Constitution, the people of Ar
/ kansas would not repudiate him. How
/ ever, The Republicans who constitute
about one-half of my state are very
| dangerous"
Reed Has Peace Plan
"Sincc the Senator has so completely
disar rlncd me-" Senator Robinson re-
turned, II cannot continue this phase
Of tho discussion"
Challenged by Senator Robinson
earlier in the debate to present a plan
to the Senate that would prevent war,
and which he would support, Senator
Reed asserted that war cannot be pre-
vented. Ii can, however, be mininiZed,
he added.
ue said he would approve the setting
up Of an international tribunal, to
which might be referred all justiciablc
questions arising between nations. He
would not submit to such a body Qucs-
tons involving the very life of ma
tiOn or it's sovereignty. Neither would
he permit the tribunal to enforce its
DEGREES by the employment OF force
"I cannot approve the setting up of
q super government" he said "And
that is the sort Of thing, it appears to
me, that the covenant of the league Of
nations sets up"
In addition, Senator Reed said he
would have international law clarified
and codified as a'means of minimizing
disputes over its real meaning.
Robinson Defends Blockade
Senator Robinson asked whether in
ternational law clearly written and
codifed would have prevented Ger
many or England from setting up
blockades of their enemies. Reed said
it would not.
"Noithcr treaties or laws would have
prevented these blockades,' Robinson
asserted. Both nations pleaded the
law of nccessity'
"Ihcn if treaties however solomnlv
nade, and law however SACRED will be
disrcgarded under some circumstances"
Need returned, what is the remedy
except force ?H
"Economic pressure" Robinson re-
piled The economic pressure pro-
vided by the covenant makes wars so
improbable that they might almost be
regarded as impossible. If Germany
knew she was to be cut off from all
economic relations with all other ma
tions, she never would have started
this war. In some ways, economic
iorce IS better than military force, be-
cause when military force is applied
nations are divided. In the employment
OF economic pressure under the coven-
ant all nations would be together"
Economic pressure means starva-
tion,' Reed retorted. at is proposed
to starve any offending nation into
submission. Does the Senator believe
that condition could exist even for a
day without war? Would not starving
women and children be war in itself?"
Thinks Treaty VIII Be Kept
Il believe that when this treaty is
made" Senator Robinson answered,
"the treaty will be kept by every ma
ton, and there Will be no war, either
military or cconomlc'
"The Senator really does not think
that from the standpoint Of humanity
there is much difference between starry
ing and shooting people to death ? How
ever, am not arguing that starvation is
lnhuman; | am simply arguing that it
is war. For it's effectiveness it de-
pends on all nations standing together
against the enemy"
"Oh," Robinson returned, impaticntly,
practically every provision of this
treaty rests on the good faith of tho
nations"