Arizona republican., 1919-03-07
REED SAYSTHAT
 LEAGUE |S ON[Y HUGE AUTOCRACY
Would Give Ruling Power To Nations Who Have Wrecked Europe 300 Years -Borah And Thomas Also Play Idea - Americans Been Deceived.


 in varying degrees to the league of nations as outlined in the tentative covenant brought home by President Wilson, was voiced by Senators Borah of Idaho, Reed of Missouri and Thomas of Colorado. in addresses before the Society of Arts and Sciences here to- night.
 Senator Borah, declaring that 'those who have wrecked Europe for three hundred years have absolute control of the proposed league of nations" demanded that the question of Ameri- cas entry into the league be decided by a plebiscite of the people. Senator Thomas urged that the for- nation of world league be pos.- poned until after the conclusion of peace, and that a league plan then be worked out, "cslmly and in the lighr | of experience gained from the peace | settlement"
 ! Senator Reed declared that the con- 1 struction of the league was essen tially autocratic," that the American people had been misled regarding it, i and that it was high time patriots aroused themselves to the hidden and sinister purposes of the undertaking
 Wrecked Europe 300 Years
 Senator Borah compared the pos&~- | tion of the United States to that Of a group of business men who had beer 1 called in to reorganize, flor the benefit | of humanity" a big banking house which had failed.
 NO sane minded business man. he ! declared, would accept such respoIh- sibility, unless they were given a free hand and unless the men who had wrecked the business were removed 1 from control
 ''The president told us" he decfsred. "that it is our debt to humanity to restore demoralized Europe But ws are asked to go in and perform thas stupendous task under whose system | Under the system of those who have wrecked Europe for 300 years and who under the proposed plan would have
 absolute control of the league of na,-
 tions."
 Calling attention to the fact that
 the United States would have but one
 vote in the executive council of the
 proposed league, while Great Britain,
 France, Italy and Japan each would , have one vote, Senator Borah declared ; that ~if there arose conflict betwee1 : European policies and American poti- J cies, there would be one Asiatic vote,
 three European votes and but a single , American vote"
 , Five Control Peace , "The power of war or peace.' he , declared, would rest with five diplo ! mats, three of them European, sitting behind closed doors.
 Tt is not a lea que of nations at alf,
 but a league Of representatives of cer- tain nations. holding in their hands the power of peace and war without
 any check by the masses, who have to fight"
 Article ten, providing that each n'ir ton in the league should guarantee the territorial integrity of all mem-
 bers, he said, was 'the only clear pro- vision in the constitution, and I have no doubt who wrote that. It was not the American delegates"
 Operation of this article, he main
 tained. would involve the United States
 Sin the quarreis of three continents"
 Asserting he has been asked what
 he would offer in place of the league, i he declared he had to offer "the in
 tense nationaIism of Washington, of
 Monroe, of Lincoln, of Theodore Roose-
 velt."
 America should live her own life"
 he continued.
 "I would be willing to take Woodrow
 Wilson's arm and walk arm in arm
 with him, as William H. Taft did hero
 the other night if Ne would stand by
 this declaration, which he made after ] America entered the war: When wa r go out from this presence we ought to 3 take with us that idea that we are de- 3 voted to the purpose of enabling Amer f ica to live her own life; to be the : most just. the most progressive the ; most honorable nation in the world Is Revolutionary Scheme l. '-The scheme is revolutionary and . dangerous to the last degree said S Senator Reed. 'trhe powers granted to f the executive council. and which may
 be exercised by five men, are stu S pendous, dangerous and appalling n Their misuse might result in destrunv t ton of the liberty of the world-in the . crushing of the American republican
 the creation of an international des- O potism worse than has ever cursed the l. earth or any single nation thereof i. Senator Reed said any claim that tho n league would not destroy the Monroe = doctrine was "either made in ignorance
 or was dishonestly made" He declared
 the world court as planned would em-
 broil America in all world wars and a political intrigue, destroy its sover r. eighty, and compel service of it's armed 6 forces in all parts of the world. f "The acceptance by the United States g of the proposed constitution of the = league of nations may involve the very life of the republic" said Mr. Reed. "It e is high time patriots should arouse = themselves.
 "An attempt is being made to drive
 it through to a conclusion before the : American people have an opportunity lt to read it's provisions or dig out oi r. them the hidden and sinister purposes t of the undertaking.
 'The people have been taught that e the league is merely an am'cable g agreement that the world shall remain
 at peace. They have been told that
 unless the league is consummaccd the
 world will be immediately involved 1T
 chaos of war that will destroy the very Te foundation of society and civilization. T. People are taught that they can re- ly ceive the benefits of this league with le out involving our country in any seri- to ous obligations.
 ne Is An Autocracy le q affirm that it ill fact proposes tC c. set up world government which vii n, have control over all International mat. CT ters as completely as the Federal gov is ernment now has iiirfs6iction ovel it questions affecting the sfates of tn, d. union. As IE ed Moreover, it will havc jirisdictiol