The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-03-05
CRITICS OF THE COVENANT

CRITICS OF THE COVENANT
No thoughtful American citizen, it seems to us
can read Senator Knox's analysis of the League OF
Nations Covenant, as delivered in the senate or
Saturday, without indulging the gravest misgiv'
ings Senator Knox is a constitutional lawyer OF
authority, and publcist Of weight because OF his
mental equipment and his experience first as at
torney general, then as secretary Of state and at
last as senator He speaks, not like PARTISAN not
like special peader, but like Judge handing
down an opinion formed as the result of careful
impartial analysis
Senator Knox applies four tests to the Cove
nant Will it abolish or prevent war? Will it
affect great constitutional principles bulwarks, OF
our protection? Will it rob us of vital attributes
of sovereignty? Will it threaten our independence
and therefore our life as Nation?
On each of these tests he insists that the Cove
nant fails 1t not only specifically provides for
wars, he declares, but by barring out the enemy
nations it would compel the formation OF rival
league and eventual world war for mastery be-
tween the two leagues.
The Covenant would, the senator argues, re-
quire congress to abandon it's constitutional right
of declaring war, of raising and maintaining ar
his constitutional, duty Of controlling and directing
our armed forces. '.s ,ar - '.. '-' II . e ST. !
zz. me destruction of American sovereignty, he
insists follows from the fact that we are to give ul
the power to say when we shall have war, when
peace what our army shall number, what our navy
shall be- when they shall be used when our treaties
are to be binding, what our treatment OF COM
merce shall be, how great tribute we shall pay IN
gift of funds to other powers. We would abandon
not only the right but the power of selt-detense
We could not survive, for 1T is contrary to the
eternal course of nature for defenseless organism
to survive, whether that organism be plant, animal
or social"
And finally, since life goes when sovereignty
goes, since independence goes when our conduct IS
dictated by others, when our continued existence
depends upon the will Of others, when we can no
longer utilize our wonted means of defense, Sena-
tor Knox contends that the Covenant fails to meet
the last of his four tests
This is truly destructive criticism, but the SEN
ator does not seek to tear down without offering
TO build up. He proposes that in the near future
presumably after the terms of peace shall have
been agreed upon and promulgated-the nations
form league whose first principle should be that
war is an international crime, and that the nation
causing war shall be punished as a criminal. 1t
would Organize an international court involving
the minimum loss of sovereignty. 1t would not
drag the United States into European broils. 1t
would preserve the Monroe Doctrine, thus saving
America from European aggression. While Sena'
tor Knox has thus far given his plan only in out
line, the lines on which it would be worked out are
plain.
Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin, another repub
lican critic of the Covenant finds more good in II
than his colleague, but he suggests that way out
be provided if the scheme doesn't work. He woulc
have the life of the league limited to ten years. al
the end of which period the question of its con
tinuance, and of changes shown necessary be ex
perience, would be taken up.
Another constructive suggestion from the re
publican side is that the Covenant be so amended
that each hemisphere would look after its owl
affairs Europe after the disputes and conflicts
the Old World, the United States after the peace
and liberties Of the three Americas. This woul'
remove one of the most vital objections to tn
Covenant it kills the Monroe Doctrine as
living principle of American policy, and embroil
us in European controversies.
One thing at least is clear: The Covenant !
far from perfect instrument. The question
whether such amendment can be obtained as t
J; make it safe for the United States to accept
Minneapolis Journal. -.