The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-03-01

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Washington. March8 1.TSenator
| Knox. of Pennsylvaniassfo former secre-
/ tary of state, speaking today in tho
4 senate, assailed the league of ma
/ tions as striking down American con-
1stitutional principles and proposed a
new world organization. which, he
| said, ..Nould preserve the Monroe
/ doctrine and save America from the
results of European intrigue and ag-
gression."
Senator Knox, who attended the
1 yyhita tppss dinasr sfenfeFenc Aast
1WtuneSday WITH other members OF
| the senate foreign relations commit
! tee. said the constitution of the league
Sanctions, breeds and commands
| war
The Pennsylvania senator said If
| the people of the United States de-
| sired what he termed a real league
of nations to prevent war and mot
merely build O coalition to further
| trade or preserve and expand terri
| torial possession" it might be Sc
cured through the formation of an
| international organization compris-
| ing all the nations of the world.
Senator Knox said the constitution
of such an international coalition
should primarily declare war an in
ternational crime and stipulate that
any nation engaging in it except in
self-defense be punished by the world
as an International criminal. He also
suggested the constitution provide
that international disputes be de-
clded by an international court; that
no nation could summon another be-
fore the court unless the subject un-
der discussion was of common con-
Germ to the contending nations, and
that jurisdiction of the court not ex-
tend to matters of governmental pol
icy.
Code, Knox Proposes.
Under such a code, Senator Knox
declared America would not be
called upon to arbitrate- the policy
involved in the Monroe doctrine. our
conservation policy; our immigration
policy, our right to eXpel aliens, our
right to repel invasion and to main
tain military and naval establish
ments; our right to make necessary
Notifications of the Panama canal
or on our frontiers, and our right to
discriminate between natives and
foreigners in respect to rights of
property and citizenship.
Among other suggestions for the
constitution, Senator Knox said it
should provide that the countries of
the two hemspheres be called upon
to enforce DEGREES Of the interna-
tional court only in their respective
hemispheres.
"A league framed on these broad
lines" he continued, would carry
with it minimum loss of our SOW
ereignty, would relieve us of partici-
patton in the broils of Europe; would
preserve the Monroe doctrine and
would save America from the results
of European intrigue and aggression
In opening his address, Senator
Knox said he wished it understood
he had not obtained negative con-
clusions in regard to the constitution
of the proposed league through un-
friendliness or bias.
Criticises Looseness.
Referring to the proposed const-
tuition. Senator Knox first criti- |
cized 1t for "looseness of expression
which he said characterized it
throughout, and then because it ap- |
peared to set up two operating en- |
titles for its enforcement, the "hign |
contracting parties" and the league |
itself.
The senator warned especially |
against leaving the central powers |
out of the league. saying the in |
evitable result would be ito drive !
them more closely together for mu |
tual self-protection, thus making the |
formation of a second league of ma !
tions, bidding for adherence from !
neutral states almost a certainty"
"Thus at no distant date" he con- |
tinued. I'VE should have two great !
leagues of nations and two great |
camps, each preparing for new and [
greater life and death struggle"
Deceptive Misnomer.
Even the term league of nations Z
is a deceptive misnomer," Senator ,
Knox declared. For under the pro- /
posed plans the nations of the world /
are divided into three classes:
"First-Signatories Of the covenant; /
these are not named. but it is as /
suned they will include and possibly 1
be confined to the five great entente
powers, that is to say. the British /
empire, France. Italy. japan and the
United States:
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