The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1919-03-20
ALBERT BUSHNELL HART,
PROFESSOR OF GOVERN
MENT, HARVARD UNlVER-
SITY, IN N. Y. TIMES

=: sITY, IN N. Y. TIMES e.
the world have not an equal right to
involve their neighbors in war and
bloodshed. The plan interferes In no.
wise with the self-determination Of
people sufficiently stable and united
to take care of their own internal con-
Germs. The articles do not relate to
religion law, customs, landholding,
economic organization, education, or
any of the functions of government,
except for the limitations on irrespon-
sible war.
Nevertheless they state clearly the
principle that a small number of the
most populous states of earth, who, In
fact, govern the majority of those hui
man beings who will come within the
league, are to take the lead. Their
united wills must master-not the
| other states, not mankind, but the af-
fairs of the league. In the executive
council five powers will cast five votes
and the remaining fifty or so states
of the world can cast no more than
four. For the present the four disas-
trously allied central powers-Ger-
many, the remnant of Austria-Hun-
gary, Bulgaria and the fragment of
Turkey-are not represented nor ad-
mitted. Even the former ally, Russia,
is outside the combination. Germany
for some time to come will be in the
excluded list of states which are not
liable to give effective guarantees Of
sincere intention to observe lnterna-
tional obligations" The remaining
good great powers, including the Unit
ed States, are we'll protected against
any possible constitutional or moral
coercion by combination of small
powers.
No Control of Trade
4. The covenant and constitution
carefully avoids international control
of trade and commerce. President
Wilson has even given up his princi-
pie of absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas alike in peace and in
war;" which was an important spike
in the fourteen points" The only
paragraph on that question calls for
freedom of transit and equitable
treatment for the commerce of all
states members of the league" Cart.
XXD.
On the question of freedom of the
seas in time of war, the United States
is estopped both by accepting the
practices of other nations and by max
ing decisions of its own which are in
compatible with the old-time freedom
of neutral trade. In time OF peace the
! world goes back to the general inter-
national common law OF sea1arins AMI
commerce and privilege Of the potts
None but an expert trouble maker
could discover world control Of ilrni-
grafton in the phrase, freedom of
travel and equitable treatment; for
that is a privilege now granted by
the United States to all except enc
mics. Any Japanese or Chinese who
| is genuinely travelling" or engaged
| in business, or student, or diplo-
mat, now has free entrance to the
| United States.
No more is comprehended by the
new document. Control over tariffs is
also left completely within the author
! ity of each member nation. Nowhere
in the plan is there a suggestion of a
world tariff or of obligatory free trade.
5. The trainers of the plan have
shown great wisdom in dealing with
the question of world military force.
The plan for world police made up
of standing contingents from the va
rious countries, plan which was &C
tually carried out in the last year and
half OF the war, has been set aside
in favor of an elastic and safe method
by which military force is called for
only when all efforts to prevent war
by remonstrance, pressure and a COM
mercial boycott have been exhausted.
AS last resort the executive council
Cart. XVII shall Recommend what
effective military or naval force the
members of the league shall severally
contribute" This Ia exactly the
method followed by the nations in the
combined march to Picking in 1900,
and nobody in the United States then
saw any constitutional objection.
6. The new arrangement interferes
with no pre-existing treaties or en-
gagements except such as ARE in.
consistent with the terms thereof
The only treaties Of the United States
that would seem to be affected with
the exception of the protectorate trea.
ties discussed further on) are the ar.