Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-21

urged upon the senate today by
| Senator Pomerene of Ohio, Demo
crat, member of the foreign rela-
lions committee.
In a prepared address, crowded
with constitutional and legal ar
| guments, Senator Pomerene said
the league was not a sure proven
| tative of wars, but would tend to
! prevent war, and could be amended
as experience required. He replied
to the criticisms of Republican
Leader, Lodge, Senator Knox, Re-
! publican of Pennsylvania; former
Senator Root and Chairman Hays
of the Republican national commit
| tee. Much of the opposition, Mr..
Pomerene asserted, springs from
craftsmanship.
VIII Keep Foe Within Control
Surely" said the Ohio senator,
''if the treaty is ratified under ex-
perience through which we have
| just passed, it will help to keep
our former enemies in the straight
and narrow path until the present
plan can be modified or improved
SO as to meet the requirements of
our future experiences and ou-
mature thoughts.
NO friend of the league has ever
claimed that it would be a panacea
against all future wars. But we
have an abiding faith that when
the nations of the world, leagucd
together, pledge themselves to sus-
pend warfare that international
disputes can be submitted either to
arbitration or to investigation and
publicity incident thereto, it will
materially reduce the chances of
war.
World Demands Peace.
81 would not find serious fault
with some of the proposed amend
ments, or reservations, if they did
not mean delay and a consequent
encouragement to revolutionary
elements. Is it not going to be
better, therefore, that we surrender
some of our own convictions in the
interest of immediate peace, rather
than to insist upon changes which
will require the pending treaty to
be sent back to the associated
powers?
"A war sick world demands the
early ratification of the treaty.
That demand must not be ignored.
During the war many of US
voted for measures, not because We
would have approved of them in
time of peace, but because we felt
that the exigencieS of the situa-
ton required them. May we not
pursue a similar course when it
comes to the ratification Of the
peace treaty?
Need of Haste Apparent.
"All of US recognize how ex-
tremely abnormal present condi-
tions are, particularly in Europe.
The spirit of revolution is running
rife, not only in eastern Europe
and within the central powers, but
to some extent among the peoples
of our allies. Ought not our aim to
be the restoration of peace, and the
adoption of such measures for its
preservation and the protection OF
the newborn nations as shall seem
to be sufficient in the present state
of the public mind?
Who knows hat Germany is not
looking forward to the moment
when she may resume her aggres-
sion against her neighbors? Who |
does not know that the new govern
ments of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, |
Jugo- Slavia, and other smaller in |
dependent nations, have not been |
able to organize perfect and stabil-
lied government?
Must Face Obligations.
Under the provisions of the |
treaty the United States has the |
power to withdraw from the league |
after two years notice. Are not |
the political and military conditions |
in Europe such as to convince any |
fair-minded man that our obliga-
tions as one OF the belligerents will |
require US to be on guard for two |
years and more?
I'VE did not enter this war with |
the intention of turning our backs
upon our friends when it would
suit more selfish purposes. We en-
tered it to fight together, to win to-
gether, and in my humble judgment,
to keep the peace together.
Have Both League and Doctrine.
81 want to preserve the Monroe
doctrine in its entirety, but if 1
must choose between preservation
Of the Monroe doctrine and the
League of Nations, l shall prefer
the latter. Fortunately, we are not
driven to choose between the two.
We can have the protection of both
the League 81 Nations and the Mon
roe doctrine.
1.-THE obligations entered into are
mutual in character. No member
d the league sur-enders any right
Dr. privilege for which he does not
receive a corresponding right or
privilege from every other mem
oer."
The senator denied that the
eague involved entangling alli-
noes, saying the league was IAN