The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-04-11
The Paris Covenant for
a League of Nations
By WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT
Ex-President of the United States

mend what shall be done to carry in
to effect its recommendation. If
there is a dissenting vote, then the
majority report is published, and the
minority report, if desired, and no
further action is taken If either
party or the Executive Council itself
desires, the mediating function is to
be discharged by the body Of dele
gates in which every member of the
league has one vote. There is no
direction as to what shall be done with
proper measures to be taken, and the
whole matter is then left for such
further action as the members of the
league agree upon. There is no COW
enant by the defeated party that it
will comply with the unanimous report
of the Executive Council or the Body
of the league.
Japanese immigration
And right here l wish to take up
the objection made to the league that
under this machinery we might be
compelled to receive immigrants con-
trary to our national desire from
Japan or China. We could and would
refuse to submit the issue to arbitra-
ton. It would then go to mediation.
In my judgment the Council as a
mediating body should not take juris-
diction to consider such a difference.
immigration by international law is
domestic question completely with
in the control of the government into
which immigration is sought unless
the question Of immigration is the
subject of treaty stipulation between
two countries. If, however, it be said
that there is no limitation in the
covenant of the differences to be
mediated, clearly we would run no
risk of receiving from the large body
of delegates of all the members of
the league a unanimous report rec
ommending a settlement by which
japanese immigrants shall be admit
ted to our shores or japanese appll-
cants be admitted to our citizenship,
contrary to our protest. But were 1t
made, we are under no covenant to
obey such recommendation. II 1T
could be imagined that all of the
other nations of the world would thus
unite their military forces to compel
US to receive Japanese immigrants
under the covenant, why would they
not do so without the covenant?
Arbitrating and Mediating Provisions
These articles compelling submits
sion of differences either to arbltra-
ton or mediation are not complete
machinery for settlement by peace
able means of all issues arising be-
tween nations. But they are sub
stantial step forward. They are an
unambitious plan to settle as many
questions as possible by arbitration
or mediatin. They illustrate the spir-
and their sensible desire not to at
it of those who drafted this covenant
tempt more till after actual evperi-
ence.
Covenant in Restraint of War
The next covenant is that the ma
tins shall not begin war until three
months after the arbitration award
or the recommendation of compro-
mise, and not then if the defendant
nation against whom the award or
recommendation has been made shall
comply with it, This is the great re-
straint of war imposed by the coven-
ant upon members of the league and
non-members. 1t is said that this
would prevent our resistance to a
border raid of Mexico or self-defense
against any invasion This is a most
extreme construction. If nation re-
fuses submission at all, as it does
when it begins an attack, the nation
attacked is released instanter from
it's obligation to submit and is re-
stored to the complete power of self
defense Had this objection not been
raised in the Senate one would not
have deemed it necessary to answer
so unwarranted a suggestion.
Effect of Compliance or Non-Com-
pliance
If the defendant nation does not
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