Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-02

if the nation has fulfilled all its
international obligations and obliga-
tions under the covenant The COW
enant fails to say who shall deter
mine whether the nation desiring to
retire has fulfilled all it's obliga-
tons. If this question is to be pass
ed upon by the council or the as
sembIy, then, under the provisions
of the covenant, it would require
unanimous approval by the council
or the assembly. This would be
awkward, and might become the
cause of dispute.
I'VE, in the United STAGES. must
still remember that a dispute over
the right of secession, can produce
war. 1t produced four years of war
| among the states of the Union.
"In the interest of peace to pre-
vent future disputes and cOmplica-
! lions, we insist upon a reservation
declaring that the United States will
be the sole judge of whether it has
performed all it's obligations under
the covenant, in case it gives notice
FOR withdrawal.
90 Under the terms of the cove
nant, it is not at all clear that the
council of the league cannot pass
upon domestic problems. The cove
nant is very broad in it's provisions
lplacing within control of the coun'
Gil, all matters of dispute. 1t is true
that in article 10 it is provided ii
one, of the parties claims that the
dispute arises out of a matter which,
| by international law, is solely with
| in the domestic jurisdiction of the
party, and the council SO finds, the1
the council will take no action with
reference to the dispute. There is nc
clear rule of international law dis.
tinsuishing domestic from interna'
tional problems.
1.-The problem which confronts the
United States, most likely to involve
lur country in a serious war, Is
Asiatic, and Japanese immigration.
The covenant almost invites the
japanese to raise this issue witt
US before the council. If no reserva-
ton is made, it creates a serious
and threatening menace, making
peace doubtful and war probable.
81 shall never forget the power
with which Senator Bacon impressed
this question upon the senate dur
ing the winter of 1912, when he
urged to our treaty with Great
Britain a reservation excluding from
arbitration domestic questions ano
naming immigration and the treat
ment of emigrants specifically as
domestic questions, which we woulc
not submit under any circumstances
| to arbitration. .s.
"a reservation should be attached
to ratification expressly providing
that domestic problems will not be
submitted to the league, and that i'm,
migration is a domestic problem
which we will retain exclusively fol
our own control
League Manufactures
"3. The league covenant provides
that members of the league shall
assume supervision of other coun-
tries, or peoples, the control to be
conducted under what is termed
'mandatories.' The plan is for the
country accepting a mandatory ovel
another country, to police the coun'
/ try, preserve order.J establish a sys'
tenn of government, and gradually
help the country to a state of pros.
ress, where self-government may be
possible. A mandatory cannot be
forced upon a member of the league.
but must be accepted by it. The
question arises, who can accept a
mandatory for the United States!
Remembering again that it is the
Smutt's plan for the league cove.
Inant that has been attached to the
| German treaty, the language may
| fairly be construed in connection
with the English form of govern
ment. H..
Under the covenant, our repre-
sentative in the council, who will sit
| in Switzerland, 5000 miles away
from the United States may have
authoritygto accept for the United
States a mandatory, and place upon
the United States, the burden of
handling and policing a foreign
country.
"The mandatory suggested for us
is the Turkish empire. We are adj
vised by Geographic reports, that
our army officers who investigated
| conditions in Turkey reached the
! conclusion that it would require an
army of 100000 of our soldiers in
Turkey.
81 do not undertake to pass upon
the question, but | do insist that no
such power should be given to one
man in Switzerland, and that no