American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-04-04
won. Now let's get back"
ROOSEVELT FAVORED A COURT
NOT A CONGRESS- OF NATIONS
Extracts From Comments on a League
of Nations In the Published Editor
ials of Theodore Roosevelt.

The one effective move for obtain
ing peace is by an agreement among
the great powers, in which each
should pledge itself not only to abide
by the decisions of a common tribunal,
but te back its decisions with force.
The great civilized nations should
combine by solemn agreement in a
great world league for the peace of
righteousness. A court should be
created-a changed and amplified
Hague court would meet the require
ments-composed of representatives
from each nation, these representa-
tives being wern to act as judges In
| each case, and not in n representative
capacity.
The nations should agree on GER
tain rights that should not be ques-
toned, such as territorial integrity,
their right to deal with their OWL do
nestle affairs and with such matters
as whom or whom not they should
admit to citizenship. All should
guarantee each of their number in
possession of these rights. All should
agree that other matters at issue be-
| tween any of them. or between any of
them and any one of n number of
specified outside civilized nations,
should be submitted to the court as
above constituted.
Each nation should absolutely re-
serve to itself its right to establish
its own tariff and general economic
policy, and to control such vital
questions as immigration and citizen
ship.
Let us explicitly reserve certain
rights-to our territorial possessions,
to our control of immigration and
citizenship, to our fiscal policy and
to our handling of our domestic
problems generally, as not to be ques-
toned and not to be brought before
any international tribunal.
As regards impotent or disorderly
nations or peoples outside the league,
let us be very cautious about guar
anteeing to interfere with or on be-
half of them, where they lie wholly
outside our sphere of interest; and
let us that our own sphere
of special concern in America (per-
haps limited north or somewhere
near the eq~uator) is not to be In
fringed on by European or Asiatic
powers.
Moreover. let us absolutely decline
any disarmament proposition that
would leave us helpless to defend
ourselves. Let us absolutely refuse
to abolish na~tionalism; on the con-
trary, let us base a wise and practi-
cal internationalism IN a sound and
intense nationalism.
When all this has been done, let us
with deep seriousness ponder every
promise we make, SO as to be sure
that our people will fulfill 1t. 1t will
be worse than idle for us to enter any
league If, when the test comes in the
future, this country acts az badly as
IL did in refusing to make any pro-
test when Germany violated the
Hague conventions. in refusing TO &c
to wal when the Lusitania was sunk
and in refusing to go to var with
Bulgaria or Turkey at all.
Let us go into such a league. Blu
let us weigh well what we promise
and her train ourselves IN body ant
soul to keep u promises. Let III
treat the formation of the league al
an addition to but In no sense rs
substitute for preparing our owl
strength for our own defense. Ant
let US build a genuine information