The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-04
LEAGUE OR CONSTITUTION.

SPEECHES of Senators Poindexter Borah and
Reed, is the destroying of our national rights
as provided under the Monroe doctrine and
the tying up of this country with all European
difficulties with which we should have only a
passing interest The entangling of ourselves
I'm such foreign alliances as this proposed con-
stitution provides, does not commend itself to
the sober Judgment of the AnNrican people.
All of this resolves itself into the fact that
under no conceivable Interpretation can the
draft of the proposed league of nations be-
made to conform TO certain provisions OF our
national constitution We admit that in these
DAYS Of parlor bolshevism and insipid inter
'nationalism, it is perhaps a bit old-fashioned
to mention the constitution as something which
deserves a slight BIT of consideration and re-
speet Yet we believe there ar still a few mil
lion people in the United States who would
rather be governed under that wonderful old
document than all the new-fangled, high
sounding contraptions which the mind of the
.idealist NAV conceive. Then, there are those
who apparently would have this league at any
price and who are not {. to proud to fight for
1T and who, if our constitution interferes would
have the constitution amended as to get 1T
out of the way This action would take years
because it would meet with tremendous oppo-
sition and even then it would be a doubtful
matter if enough state legislatures would ratfy
the proposals which void be necessary to carry
lit through.
Here are few examples of the way IN which
this league of nations constitution dlsagrees
with our own The constitution of the United
States provides that the making of treaties is
distinctly prerogative of the president and
the senate while the constitution of the pro-
posed league sets forth that no nation, being
80 H. leo 10 fr.oo fx
with another nation without the approval of
the league as a whole. One of the boldest
violations of our constitutional rights is con-
tanned in Article twelve, which makes the
declaration OF war impossible except by the
consent of the executive council of the league.
Under such provision, foreign countries could
IeasiIy declare war for us or refuse to let Us
go DO war Wnat the United States might
think upon the subject would make differ
lence since she would have but one vote in the
council Upon this subject the constitution
fof the United States is quite clear; that the
congress of the United States shall be our sole
Iwar-rnaking body. Also under our constitu
ton congress has the sole right to determine
the size of our army and navy and what arma-
lment we may have. The proposed league would
absorb this power and we would necessarily
be forced to abide by the decision of the league
to the Size our armament ana our armed
forces.
1 Is it not true after all, that it would be far
3bCtter to LET our constitution continue to follow
our flag and the flag to follow the constitution
/ and say to other nations, You have the same
lprivilegef'' No league can be stronger than the
Sentiment that is behind it.
Now that the allied nations have decided not
TO permit the colored brother to hold a pan
African congrss in Paris, we may expect any
idav TO hear that Liberia has issued black
book.
/ Opportunity often knocks at the door when
it is too late. Here is Chicago who has
Just received patent for perfect corkscrew
! Why not make Marshal F'och chief policeman
of the league of nations, He has shown what
lac can do against gun-toters
7 The United States dollar now will buy more
foreign money than ever before. And less
beefsteak and potatoes
: Must america first" now be changed te
/ IL America ninthf''