The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-09
POINDEXTER ASKS
WILSON TO EXPLAIN
Puts sharp Questions Reply
ing to Demand for Senate to
Put Up or Shut Up.
MUST KEEP OUT OF BRoILs
Offers Declaration of Inde-
pendencc and Constitution
as League Substitute.
ss.c,s. De.bofca to TINS sus.

specia. Despatch TO TINS suS.
wlsrfSoror. Sept. s.--The President
was brought sharply to task to-day for
some Of the loose talk which marEed
IN. i,rst leg o. his League OF Nations
crusade. Senator Poindoxter tWasn'1
took apart some of Mr.. Wilson's utter
snces and from tho floor Of the Senate
demanded specific answers to several en-
barrsss,ne questions
The Senator called attention to the
vituperatfve character Of some OF Mt
wilson's utterances. and to the fact that
he Is transporting himself about the
country with his largo retinue at tho
expense of the Government to try to
put over" his pet league scheme.
Senator Poindexter made answer to
the Presidents demand that the Senate
accept the league or offer n substitute
for IL. The substitute offered by the
Senator was the Declaration OF Inde-
pcndence, the Constitution and Govern
ment by the people.
Senator Poindexter said:
PTeNI0enI IL
league we win be contemplate quitters.
what would we be quitting7 He says
we must stay with the game What
Is the game. and when will the game
be finished IL 1t is not finished now?
He says we won the war for France
and England, and, having done SO. t
would be dshonorable for us nov TO
abandon them. How did winning the
war for Europe and England put US
under obligation to them or to the rest
Of Europe7
"Is It not the truth that the services
we rendered Europe in the war put
, Europe under obligations to us, instead
Of putting us under obligations to
Europe? Would our people over here
have backed this war IL they had fore
seen that after they had won II the
President would tell them II would be
dishonorabIe for them to come home?
Hints mt violation of Oath.
III the President thinks the League
Of Nations would be a benefit to the
United States why did he say at the
Metropolitan Opera House on March 5
that IL would be a supreme sacrifice 7
IL II Is a supreme sacrifice as he said,
is he not violating his oath of Office in
attempting to impose 1t on the American
people?
"will the President deny that the
League of Nations gives the supervision
of our trade In arms to the league, while
the Constitution gives it to Congress?
els 1t not true that the covenant OF
the league provides that when the size
of the army and navy has been fixed as
provided under 1t they cannot be In
creased without the consent of the
league, while the Constitution gives Con-
gress the absolute power to raise armies
and navies?
ut Is not true that the covenant
obligates us to defend the territorial in
tegrfty Of all of the proposed members
OF the league? How can we defend their
territorial integrity without war? What
voice would our people have in such a
war, provided for in advance by the
League of Nations, if we are to keep our
obligations under the league?
rs II not true that every question
likely to lead to a rupture is to be de-
cided by the league, and we are bound
to obey it's decisions? Does not this in
volve every interest of the United States
without exception? In this decision.
does not Great Britain with her colonies
have six votes in the body of delegates
while the United States has only one Z
Why should Great Britain have six
times as many votes as the United
States7 And why should Hedjaz or
Haiti or Liberia have each as many
votes as the United States?
THE President says limitation of
ornaments cannot be obtained without
the League of Nations. Is that so? II
Il is 50. how is It that we have limitation
of ornaments between the United States
and Canada without League of Ma
tions? Does not the President himself
say that disarmament can only come by
International conference? Cannot we
have International conferences without q
League OF Nations? He says there is an
international agreement for disarmament
In the covenant of the League of Ma
tions. There is no such agreement.
should state Binding Force.
Does the President claim that the
plan, which the league is to provide
would be binding on nations without
their consent2 If not, how is 1t to be es-
tablished except by conference and con-
sent, in Which case a League of Nations
Is wholly superfiuous. If the leagues
decision Is to be binding on the nations
without their consent, then the Presi.
dent should say SO and then the nation
would know that we are to become a
subject people.
How can the President tell the peo.
pie that there will be Limitation of arma.
ment under the league, when he know.
that Great Britain decreed that league
or no league, the predominance of hel
sea power will be maintained?
How can the President honestly tel
the people that world league founded
on the principle that Europe shall par.
ticipate In the control of American af.
fairs and that America shall pariic,.
pate in the control of European affair
does not abrogate the Monroe Doctrine
II the covenant Of the league expressl,
provides that the things forbidden b,
the Monroe Doctrine shall be done. what
good will it do to stipulate that n
should not interfere with the Monroe
Doctrine?
'The ancient and modern policy OF
America, from Washington and JEFF
ferson down. has been to keep our
selves free from foreign entanglemeats
How can the President honestly tel
the people that a League of Nations
which obligates us to participate In ever,
European quarrel, in not violation o.
these ancient principles2
When the President utilizes the in
fuence Of the Presidential office to form
union with European Powers, is n.
not desecrating the memory of tn,
Fathers OF the Nation? Is he NOT he
traying the most sacred trust of hi,
office? He says that Germany woult
MOI iiass Invaded Belgium II there hat
been League OF Nations Does tn,
President not know that there was /
League OF Nations and a formal cava