The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-05-23
SHERMAN OPENS|
FIRE ON WILSON
Attack on League Of Nations
Begun in Senate by IIIi-
noiS Republican.
SEES LOSS OF. LIBERTIES
Won in Centuries of Struggle
if Proposed Covenant
Is Ratified.

!
Washington, May 24.-The attack
on the league of nations began in tly
senate Friday with an address Y
Senator Sherman, republican, Of "
nois, bitterly criticising Presid
Wilson for his conduct of the pJ :
negotiations and denouncing :
league proposal as revoluti(., :
attempt to set up "a parliam1.
nations controlled by an oligs >
National sovereignty wouy s.
appear under the league, t. IL
nois senator declared, and liberties
won in centuries of struggles would
be lost forever. Doomed with "the
curse Of broken faith and shameless
perfidy from its inception and birth,
the league, he predicted, would be
come a gigantic fire brand for a
world contiagration.'
Senator Sherman made his address
I in presenting resolution declaring
1t the sense of the senate that the
league covenant should be separated
from the peace treaty when the lat
ter Is submitted to the senate for
ratification. He charges that the COW
enant and treaty had been closely
interviewer in the final draft for the
/ deliberate purpose of securing votes
for the former and argued that sepa-
rate consideration would give an op-
portunity for the senate and the
country to pass more sober verdict.
He charged President Wilson had
| broken faith with China, Poland and
Italy; had yielded to Great Britain:"
had endeavored to subvert the fun
damental laws of the republic; and
had promised to embark the United
States on policies that would require
her TO send a million soldiers
abroad
America Made Vassal State"
The American people," declared
the senator, have not yet fully
measured the unparalleled an atroc-
ious character of the assault made
by the authors of the league on
American government and American
institutions. A more sinister as
sembly of men never threatened the
peace and safety-of our country than
now demand that unlimited powers
over the lives and fortunes of the
American people be surrendered into
their keeping"
Wants Text of Treaty.
o.
Johnson, republican, of California,
called up for consideration in the SEN
ate today his resolution asking the
state department to furnish the SEN
ate the complete text of the peace
treaty. 49,. . -
Speaking IN support of his reso-
luton, Senator Johnson declared it
should be obvious and automatic"
that the senate and people were en-
titled to full information about so i'm
portant matter. He pointed out
that portions of the treaty had been
published in Germany and that news
papers in some instances had pub
hshed portions of the text.
When Senator Hitchcock, of Ne
braska, ranking democrat of the for
elgn relations committee, interrupted
TO ask If there were not an agreement
against publication among all the
peace delegates, Senator johnson re-
piled: 81 do not know and | do not
care" adding that such an agreement
would have been unfair to the Ameri-
car public.
Let this senate first ratify a treaty
OF peace, then we may consider under
civil procedure and civil authority un-
awed by executive war powers the col
ossal vital changes proposed in our form
of government
The twentieth century does not call
us to re-enaCt the Crusades. The mis-
guided imagination of intellectual per-
Verts has wrought more evil than the
VICIOUS propensities of the criminal and
the distorted images of the insane, The |
man VINO writes a book to portray a
new and perfect government he assures
us he has invented is more dangerous
10 ms country than the anarchist
Cabinet Members "SocIaIists"
AcI,.o a
struction of constitutional government !
IN the United States in his work of fic- |
tlon pub ished in 1912. This novel ex- !
hlbltS his disregard of law and his be- !
let IN revolution. George D. Heron, !
lately the presidents envoy to the boil |
shevist government in Russia. saws Of !
the president in 1917:
=, He is revolutionary beyond any
thing his words reveal Five members
OF the presidents cabinet are tainted .
WIN socialism A vast swarm of his
appointees are known to be open and
ayoWed socialists. The administration
oi woodrow Wilson, even under con-
stltutional forms of government, is a
hybrid between French revolution
and an oriental despotism, History
YOU'D forget the reign of Caligula in
the eXcesses and follies of tho Ameri-
aan government operated under the
league OF nations interpreted by Presi-
dent Wilson and Col. House"
Taking up the covenant section by /
section, Senator Sherman said at the
very outset the instrument gave to the
eague a scope of action practically un-
united by empowering it to deal with
any matter within the scope of the
eague., or affecting the peace of the
world"
THE sovereignty of this nation
passes from the territorial limits of our
country to foreign capital he con-
lnued. Congress cannot legislate it
'annot pass appropriation bills nor COL
ect revenues, it cannot enact labor
egislation nor exercise the usual police
'ower belonging to an independent
'tate until the DEGREES of the latest or
Iers OF the Geneva council or measure
n the assembly shall have been studied
Var cannot be declared nor peace con-
luded. armies raised and supported.
lavies provided and maintained nor
he national guard of the several states
mustered and equipped.
Taxing Power Must Be InVioable.
Article l6 declares if any member
f the league resorts to war in dis !
egard of its covenants. it shall of itself
q, deemed an act of war against all
ther members, This creates n condi- ,
ion OF war without declaration by
ongress. We are at once subject to ,.
1vaSion and our merchant shipping eX- !
osed to hostile navy wherever found.
We covenant thereby immediately to |
tN an embargo on all commercial and :
nancial relations with the covenant q
reaking state. This agin is power .
xercised in this country by congress
nd by no other authority" G
Tracing the historical development OF {
ne taxing power Senator Sherman de- '
Jared It must he preserved inviolahlt, q
nut il would be lost, he said. under the 5
rticle pledging financial power without v
afercnce to congress. C
Great Britain" he continued. has :
o written constitution. Great Britain's :
at the peace conference !,