Arizona republican., 1919-02-20
DECLARES T 'sMONsTROUS
 IN H|S ADDRESS

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 WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-Criticism of the constitution of the league of nations was opened in the house late today, with report of Representative Fess of Ohio. republican, who declared |. the league plan was 'monstrous" and filled with vicious possibilities
 Just as soon as the American peo- pie shall grasp the vicious possibih- ties herein included he said, there will be such a revolution of sentiment aroused that any man who will sub scribe to this perpetual surrender oi this republics future to vote of for efgn nations, will be, as he should be, repudiated as an enemy to the spirit and genius of American institutions.
 Representative Fess said one of the principal objections to the league plali was that it made possible five votes for the United Kingdom against one for the United States by putting self governing dominions or colonies to be- come independent numbers.
 The sovereignty of the United States" continued the Ohio member. twill be transferred completely to group of EuEopean powers, by mere vote of the league. and matters under consideration by it might lead to war.
 The executive council, which is to be the real agency of the league to en- force it's findings. is to be limited to nine members, one each from the United States, France, Great Britain, rg1x four otker states to be selected from the body of delegates. The decisions of each. bodies or executive council, are by majority vote, so that in all cases, the findings of the council will be de- termined by five members.
 Five Can Bind United States
 In other words. any five of the vot- ing nations can bind the United States without it's consent, to any matter fall ing within Sle province of the league.
 No matter how much the people of the United States may wish to avoid mixing in Europeap or Asiatic politics, any five of the nine members can wish the responsibility on this country.
 To be specific, Article 19 authorizes the league to vest mandatory authority and select the nation to exercise it, over such countries recently under the ! ' garded sufficiently stable to maintain stable self government
 The matters of consideration arc not defined and therefore not limited," he said. If the Monroe dictrine is in cluded in the judgment of a majority of the members. what recourse have we. after we have entered the league. which speaks by majority vote Ii immigration is included. according to a majority of the league, what is our defense? If a tariff is included, accord- ing to the judgment of the majority, what have we left but to surrender or commit a breach of covenant?
 Surrenders Sovereignty
 This nation should never under any circumstances surrender it's sovereignty on any questions which pertain to it's future welfare to a vote of a league,
 Mir. Fess declared that once the United States had agreed to the pro- posed league it would not have the power to compel changes in the con stitution for it's benefit.
 Article 26 purports to provde for amendments to the constitution of the league he said, but, of course, nc : amendments in the interest of the United States will likely ever be made
  states. which are represented in the council and then the ratification O : three-fourths the states represented il the body of delegates.
 [ If it should be. claimed by propon
 ents of this preposferous proposition that questions I have named are no l included in the league, no man of sens r will deny that under article 26, amend l ments cannot be made by interastei
 nations to include these questions S MT. Eess criticised articles of tn e league constitution, which he said, re . quired abrogation of existing treatie r inconsistent with the league charter y This means if a treaty now exist t between us and Japan, inconsisten S with the judgment of the league. as eX n pressed by any five of the nine, t. must be abrogated." said Mir. Fess. "Th 1t question of European immigration als $. will fall under this authority, and ou e laws of limitation, inconsistent wit # what a majority of this league sha e find. must be abrogated
 No further legislation on Europea
 or Asiatic immigration can be enacte n without the consent of the league, 8 h it covers not only treaty making, bl if such laws as are based on treaties q Even Merchant Marine d Can we be sure that 6uestions a an American merchant marine will nC
 fall under a vote of European cour n tries, which quite naturally will pref, , to keep the monopoly of this particuls l. activity Who will be the judge? Ev
 dently the league will have somethin Q to say about it
 IT Mr Fess also objects to article : y of the constitution which he Sai V would give the league certain power " over the commerce of the nation @ which composed it.
 1t This article, read in the light
 article 20, which looks to a permar = ent international labor bureau u e speaker said, will show the settle Il plans of placing the matter of our ow q commercial standing. and of legisl5 ,f tion looking to maintenance of Amer
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