Estancia news-herald. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1912-19??, 1919-07-31
ONE OF WORLDS
GREAT DOCUMENTS

washington, ID. Z. - The mos
noteworthy bugaboo used by oppo
nents of the League of Nations tt
scare the people-Article X of thu
covenant-was proved a straw mar
by Claude Swanson of Virginia in his
keynote speech opening the real fight
in the Senate for President Wilson:
world peace program. Carefully an
alyzing every provision in the fam.
Gus document, Senator Swanson
closed with this tribute to the united
work of the best minds of % nations
of the world:
at is one of the worlds greatest
documents, marking the beginning Of
a new and better order in world af.
fairs, separating a past dark with
war and strife, from the sunlight of
a future bright with peace and in
ternational cooperation and concilia-
tion. Out of the Revolutionary War
won by American valor and sacrifice,
emerged the Declaration of Inde-
pendence and the Constitution of the
United States, the two most precious
parchments yet conceived by human
mind. The Constitution when pro-
posed was assailed with virulence
and encountered prophecies of
dreadful calamities to follow its
adoption exceeding anything that has
been directed against the covenant.
"The pathway of our duty is plain.
We should neither hesitate nor halt,
but firmly align ourselves with the
forces that are working for world
betterment. With strong arms and
brave hearts let us faithfully dis
charge our responsibilities as the
worlds greatest power and fearless
ly face future which beckons us to
a greater glory and usefulness"
Prefacing his analysis, Senator
Swanson pointed out that the % ma
tions that framed the treaty repre-
sented nine-tenths of the worlds
population of one and one-half bill
lions, that estimates are that 7,400,-
900 men were killed and 7,175,000
permanently disabled, and that the
conclusion of the war finds the
world burdened with a public debt
aggregating 100 billion dollars, or
one-third of its total wealth.
The majority of the worlds great
wars "have been occasioned by a de-
sire of conquest and to obtain addi-
tional territory" said Senator Swan
son, in discussing Article X, and he
summarized the chief objections as
follows:
"Those of our countrymen who
antagonize the League have directed
against this provision their most per-
sistent and unrelenting opposition.
They have insisted that the assump-
tion by us of this obligation would
embroil Us in interminable wars with
all the attendant expense and dam
ger. They have presented dire fore
bodings of United States troops be-
ing sent to every part of the globe
to settle petty territorial quarrels.
They contend that in adopting this
provision of the covenant the United
States uses her great power, without
any recompense whatever, to bring
to other nations repose and security.
1t should be noted that this is an
obligation assumed, not by the
League as an entirety, but by each
Individually" he continued.
each member of the League un-
dertakes, first, to respect the terri
torial integrity and existing political
independence of all members. This
is solemn promise made by each
that it will never endeavor
to acquire by conquest or aggression
any of the territory or possessions
of any other member In common
parlance, we would agree not to rob
any of our associates in the League
and they would agree not to rob US.
"If this League is consummated,
as contemplated, it means immedi-
ately that four-fifths of the world,
and eventually all the world, agrees
to cease from wars of conquest and
despoilment. If adhered to it would
eliminate the causes which have pro-
duced most of the wars Of the past.
If observed, there is not member
of the League, great or small, that
ever would have its individual politi-
cal existence threatened; and no
more would the history of the world
be encountered with the frightful
wreck of people and nations through
lust of conquest.
"The second obligation assumed by
each member of the League individ-
ually is to preserve as against ex-
ternal aggression the territorial in
tegrity and existing political inde-
pendence Of all members of the
League This is natural corollary
from the first. In the former we
undertake not to rob our associates
ourselves, and in this we agree not
to permit others to do so; each as
sociate assuming a like obligation to
u.s."
There have been claims that under
the League as proposed American