Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-01


ing less. Has history ever answered an |
to do this thing, save In ono
way, and has that way ever spelled
anything but disaster for the coalitionf
Is such n proposal not monstrous, and
II so. can II have our supportf Must
our every effort not be to avoid so d.
vidins the world into two warrlns
csmps9
Same Old Balance Of Power
"Tn what respect will the situation
so formed differ from that created by
the centuries-oid doctrine Of balance Of
power, save only that now for the first
unhappy time In our history, we are
to he placed In one side OF the balance"
To show how potential the league
draft is for war, Mr.. Knox then cited
from the draft seven instances of legali-
zation OF war and three instances maxi
ing II obligatory on the members to go
TO war for any other member attacked.
He cited Articles ~, 15, IL, II and 16.
Referring to the last paragraph
of Article 16, by which "the high con-
tracing parties agree further that they
will mutually support one another in the
| financial and economic measures which
may be taken under this article, in order
to minimize the loss and inconvenience
resulting from the above measures" Mr..
Knox said:
what our contributions will be under
| this, how much our citizens must he
ground down by taxes to take care OF
wild and extravagant expenditure
which we did not and would not initiate
and over which we would have no con.
troll, only an all-wise Providence can
forcsee.
Thus the proposed covenant, instead
of abolishing war. actually sanctions
breeds and commands IL. Moreover, 1,
absolutely requires that every futur,
war shall be n potential world war. and
that we shall be an active psrticipan,
In every such war.
1--WE are thus thrust fully into tn,
terrible cauldron of European politics
and every outbreak In the Balkan,
(even domestic, II IL threaten interna
tional war; will call for somc expendi
ture Of treasure, for some shedding o
American blood, for some loss of Amer
lean life.
ut is idle to say and fatuous to hop,
or believe these outbreaks will not oc
cur for ambitious men do not hesitat,
to waste life in order to punish a,
enemy or gain a goal
ihe piaH' therefore, rails TO NEE
the first test.
I'VE come now to the second question
/ proposed-Do the provisions OF III,
proposed covenant strike down the pre
cepts of the constitution? A mere list
ing OF some of the more conspicuous pro
visions of each shows that II does
Under the constitution the Congress,
, of the United States has the exc,usiy,
power to declare war. The proposed
! covenant puts the power OF declarinl
war in the hands of the Executive Coun
| Gil, in which, it is true. we have a voice
but not the constitutional voice.
Congress Helpless to Declare or stoy
, War
THUS, whether Congress wishes O,
: not, whether the people wish or not, w,
may be forced into war, with all III
sacrifices of life. in cause In whicl
: we have no real concern and with whicl
we may be out of sympathy, under th
: penalty that If We do not go TO wa
3 we SHALL by breaking a covenant o
, the league, bring war upon ourselves b.
3 the balance of the world"
: Mr.. Knox then analyzed the draft t,
e show that Congress would give up Il
= the league its power to raise and sup
Q IF war were abolished" he said "thi
0 might be tolerable, but with war legal
I lied even between members of tn
3 eague and actually commanded in Ger
4 tain contingencies, this may spell 70
q us Overwhelming disaster"
Q He objected also to the relinqushini
Q of treaty ratification to the league,
Discussing the question of mandates
[ he said the provisions were drawn s
e oosely "purposely or otherwise" tina
one could not tell just how the man
datory states are to be selected.
. Are the mandatory states to b
chosen by the high contracting partie!
; by the members OF the league, by tn
{ body of delegates, or by the executiv
: council?" he asked. "Or is the state pre-
8 tected (for stripped of the new da
e verbiage protectorate is really pre-
!. vided for), other than the Turkish En-
pire communities to pick out from tn
: league membership or from states nc
= league members that particular stat
: which the protected state wishes as
> protector"
II Some One Else VIII Have the Say
"But no matter who picks the manda
tory power" he continued, "clearly som
!, ono besides ourselves has tho power
y say whether and when our boys and ho'
: many of them shall be sent to the ari
: regions of Armenia, or to the sleepin
= death regions of Central Africa, or
i, the wildernesses OF Southwest Africi
!. or to the inhospitabIe South Pacific Isle
= and when they get there II will be soms
body else besides ourselves who wi
9 determine how long they shall remaiI
L by what laws they shall govern tn
[ people, and what shall be their measuI
z and rules Of protection.
Il Somebody else beside ourselves mu.
s decide how many billions (for we spea
now only in such terms) We shall wrin
e from our own people by taxation an
5 spend in the territory over which W
e have been made mandatory.
!, "I take it to he unnecessary to poir
. out how destructive all these thing
: would be of our constitution.
= "Thus this covenant, will, If it b,
> comes operative. strike down most Wit;
= provisions Of our constitution and hel
again II fails to meet the test.
Il am now to the third question ha,
'' put-Are the provisions of the propose
covenant destructive of our sovereignty
o "Cast up in your mind the coloss,
l. powers granted to tho executive counc
v lin which be 1t always remembered "
are but one of nine participate