The Mena weekly star., 1919-07-17
SAYS AMERICA
 CANNOT SkULk
yirginian Urges Adoption of League of Nations Covenant to Save World crisis-Does Not Abrogate the
 Monroe Doctrine.

Washington, July 15.-Praising the League of Nations covenant as "one of the worlds greatest documents" |" Senator Swanson of Virginia, Demo- cratic member of the foreign rela- lions committee, told the Senate yes terdav that if the United States re- iected the league it ''would mean that she would skulk in the greatest world crisis that ever occurred"
 The speaker defended the league against the objections that it would sacrifice sovereignty and American tradition and asserted that, on the contrary, it would result in immense material gain in protecting American integrity and preventing war. He de- clared it would not create a super gov ernment, involve objectionable obli- cations nor invalidate the Monroe Doctrine.
 Our Duty Plain, He Says.
 f'The pathway of our duty is plain," said Senator Swanson. "Let us not be frightened by our own prodigious shadow as it projects itself into world affairs. Let us not be deterred from our manifest duty and destiny by a craven fear of becoming great in giv- ing service and direction to a world in direst hour of its need and distress. ,"
 Pointing out that the war had shak- en the social order to it's foundation, the Virginia senator said it was the ,ll az ,o,l l.. statesmen to prevent another such confiagration which would return the world to the rule of brute force and barbarism of the Dark Ages"
 "The league could never be organ ized on any basis other than that of equal representation. If members were accorded difference in represen- tation, upon what basis should the apportionment be made? If upon population, China and India would dominate the league and the United States would have only one-ffteenth of the number. If based upon wealth and military power, the situation would be equally as uncertain and un- satisfactory.
 Only Plan for Disarmament.
 What better plan for disarmament could be devised? The council is di- rected to prepare general plan of disarmament for the consideration of the governments, which plan it not binding upon any of the states until approved by that state. Under our government, the proposed plan to be effective in binding us must have the sanction of Congress, which is en- trusted under the constitution with the power of raising armies and cpsipr;ng the navy
 Under Article 10 each member of the league undertakes, first, to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of all other members of the league. When the nations of the world, sobered by sorrow and suffer ing, are willing to raise their hands and take this solemn pledge, are we sullenly and stubbornly to stand aside and become stumbling block in the way of this noble achievement? Do any of them have possessions that we view with covetous eyes and propose to SeiZe and annex!
 "The covenant of the league has been assailed from two opposite sources" he continued. "The league will neither be super-state nor sov- ereign, nor a helpless, powerless as- sociation of nations. The instrument creating the league is covenant en- tered into by sovereign states. One of the attributes of sovereignty is the ability to make covenants or agree ments That state reserves it's full sovereignty is exclusively settled by the provision allowing any member to withdraw, No nation, superior or otherwise, ever thus expressly pro- vided for it's dissolution.
 Is Only Treaty.
 "This covenant, if ratified by the Senate, would be no more nor less than treaty legalized under our Constitution. The plan for the forma- tion of the league is skillfully con eeived, and the only one possible un- der existing political conditions.
 "The assembly of the league will be composed of representatives of the members, who will be selected in ac- cdrdance with the laws of respective states. In the case of the United States, the representatives, being off, cers created by treaty, would be ap- pointed as provided by an act of Con gress. Much opposition has been urged because a great nation like the United States has only one vote in the assembly. But what difference does the number of votes make when upon all important matters the action of the assembly must be unanimous, or have the unanimous concurrence of the council, upon which the United States IS permanently represented ?"
 
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