New-York tribune., 1919-04-08
League Covenant Praised
by Hitchcock, Denounced
by Wood and Given Faint
Approval by Lenroot
Effect on War Doubted
Wisconsin Senator Warns
People Not to Expect Too
Much Of New Document

The proposed league of nations was
the object of a vigorous attack bv
one speaker before the Economic Club
last evening, an equally enthusiastic
defence by another and partial in
dorsement by third
Although the arguments at the clubs
banquet, which took place at the Ho-
tel Astor. took on the nature of de-
bate, it was not officially classified as
such, and Chairman George w. Wicker
sham did not attempt to say which
side had won the honors.
The principal arguments of the
three speakers were:
Senator Gilbert NJ Hitchcock, of
Nebraska: "Ths Is means of pre-
venting war in future. One of the
strong considerations why nations will
be willing to join the league and agree
to avoid war will be the assurance
that their political independence and
territorial integrity always shall be
regarded as sacred from attack by
members of the league and others"
Enslaving Agency Seen
Henry Wise Wood: "This document
denies the blessings of liberty to all
persons who are now without liberty
1t would make the United States an
agency for the continued enslavement
of the weaker powers of Europe and
the remainder Of tho world "
Senator Irvine l.. Lenroot, of Wis.
consin: 81 am for the league of ma
tions, but we should not deceive our
selves into the belief that such
league, however, formed can prevent
war. No league and no treaty can in
sure against wars so long as peoples
differ in ideals of government tempera-
ment and racial characteristics"
Senator Hitchcock was enthusiastic
ally applauded when he was introduced
by Chairman Wickersham. The Sena-
tor said confusion had been caused by
the two classes of opposition to the
league that of radical prophets of
despair who oppose any league of ma
tions and those who oppose the present
league because it does not conform to
their individual views of what league
should be-
But nov | feel justified in saying
1t has stood the fire test of criticism,
not only IN the United States, but in
other nations OF the world, and it will
come out Of the drafting committee
not greatly changed in its scope and
purpose, but very materially improved
IN form and dctaik' he said
Day of Theories Past
at is no longer question Of my
theory OF q league of nations, nor for
mer Pres ident Roosevelt's theory, nor
MI IaftS theory, nor President Will
sons theory. 1t is now a question
whether league OF nations as agreed
upon IN compromise shall be accepted.
mere obviously never would be
league or nations if after protracted
compromise each nation insisted on
changing the plan to suit itself.
"Ihe nations of the world are now
IN the position that the thirteen orig
maj states were after their represen-
tatiVes IN the constitutional convention
mad reached compromise agreement
upon our Federal Constitution. The
Constitution did not suit the views of
any particular state Its ratification
was strongly opposed in most of the
states. 1t was obviously and neces
sarlly compromise between the var
Gus Gus views OF government held in all
the states. And so this league of n,-
tlons IS presented to the world as a
compromise between the great sover
elgn nations of the world which have
entered into it,"
If 1t is rejected that ends for the
present and probably indcfnitelv anv
chance of securing the reform. #
means that despair would spread over
Europe. 1t means that every nation in
the world would prepare for war on an
enormous scale. In the future more
than IN the past most of the govern
mental taxes would be levied in prep
aration for war 0'
Growth of Anarchy Feared
And it means something else. It.
means, the growth of socialism. of an.
archy and Of Bolshevism, because the
masses OF the various nations THROUGH
Out 'he world, filled with despair at
e"e prospect OF more wars and indic-
MANI 'hat governments can devise no
means of escaping them, would receive
and adopt the desperate remedies nro-
posed by the socialists, anarchists and
Bolsheviki" N''
Senator Lenroot said: "The matter Of
disarmament is one of the most i'm
portant Of the Presidents fourteen
points. But there is nothing in this
article, or anywhere in the constitution
OF the league, that requires reduction Of
armaments. Thus, in the most i'm
portant factor for the prevention of
future wars, the league is powerless.
Omission Called Bunder
Permit me to say that I think it
very unfortunate that reduction of
arms is not actually provided for by
the peace conference. If we cannot
now, at the conclusion of this terrible
war, agree upon a reduction of arma
mcnts, then it is idle to think that at
some time in the future all of the ma
tons Of the world will consent to
reduction.
"By Article X the United States
would become obligated to send our
troops to every quarter of the globe
where, trouble may arise.
III Turkey should be admitted to the
league, so far as this constitution ia
concerned, the Sultan may massacre the
Christians within its borders at will. |
Such action will not be within the jur
isdiction Of the league