Evening journal., 1919-10-01
SENATOR WOLCOTT
DEFENDS LEAGUE
De, otes Much Time 10
D S uss.on Of British
Irish Il uation
u. S. NOT FORCED TO
TAKE PART, HE SAYS
Special 10 Tic Evening Journal

WASHINGTON, ID. C.. Oct. i.-Senaloy
Josiah %. WoIcott, OF Delaware. made
a lengthy speech in the Senate this
afternoon advocating ratification OF the
covenant of the League OF Nations and
/ the peace treaty as submilted TO the
I senate.
/ In the. course Of his lengthy speech,
in which he analyzed phases of the
] League Of Nations covenant about
which controversies are waging. he
argued that the United States would
not surrender any OF IFS sovereignty
under the covenant. and he also as
serted that 10 would give Ireland an
/ opportunity 90 present her plea FOR in
dependence. and would not compel the
/ United states 20 give armed assistance
10 England in event OF a possible Irish
! Iuprising. because 10 would be an m
/ ternal aggression"
Entertaining the theory that It
would be more appropriate 90 discuss
the league when the same became the
regular order Of the Senate. / have,
until now, refrained from indulging in
! lbs discussion" said senator Wolcott
early in his speech. After a lengthy
discusslon Of the treaty, he added, in
/ part:
Article Y Of the League has perhaps
Ibeen the storm center Of the Opposi-
/ ton This article provides as follows {.
THE members Of the League under
/ take 90 respect and preserve as against
/ IeXternal aggression the territorial IN
tegrlty and existing political independ-
/ ence OF an members Of the League. In
any case Of any such aggression or in
case OF any threat or danger OF such
| aggression the council shall advise upon
I the means by which this obligation
shall be fulfilled
This is the article that the enemies
lnf the League have most violently as
sailed. Lurid pictures OF what might
happen should we ever subscribe TO
/ this article have been painted for the
terrorization Of the American public.
American fathers and mothers are ask
ed IL they want 10 send their sons TO
| fight on the side Of japan against
China. or TO aid England in riveting
more firmly the chains upon Ireland
or 20 maintain His Majesty the King OF
HOiias upon his throne In all his orien-
tai splendOr. at the hehest Of European
or Asiaiic overlords whom this League
OF Nations sets up over US.
81 propose. as briefly as ! may. %
give my idea Of article 10. In its first
sentence, 70 contains an obligation on
the part Of every member Of the league
90 respect and preserve a. against eX-
ternal aggression the territorial in
tegrity and existing political indepen-
dence Of every other member OF the
league. This Is couched in the Ian
guage OF an obligation.
What would happen in case there
was an aggression committed by one
nation upon another would, u seems 10
me. 90 be very clear, be that no mem
/ Der or The league under the language
/ of article 10 would be compelled. in
response TO its Obligation alone 10 rush
I into the ARRAY. u seems % me clear
that any action 90 be taken In such
event on behalf Of the league is neces-
sarily 10 be such as is suggested by
the Joint and concerted deliberations Of
.all the nations represented on the
council
In connection with Article 10. the
opponents OF the league have very
adroitly worked mp strong oposltion
10 the league and TO its sponsors,
amongst those Of our people Of Irish
extraction. The idea has been put forth
that If Article 10 Is ever adopted. the
United States would be compelled TO
supply the power OF its embargoes and
the force OF its armies In aid OF Eng
land 10 suppress any possible Irish up
rising in the future Any man who
reads the article will very readily see
for himself that IL imposes no such
obligations on this country. The only
thing that Article 10 undertakes TO deal
with is external aggression against
the territorial integrity and existing
political independence Of members Of
the league. If Ireland should rise in
revolt against England, no one who
had regard for the integrity Of his ra-
tlohal processes would for a moment
contend that the situation presented
one Of external aggression The case
would be one OF internal revolt.
For my own part, am sure voice
the sentiment OF all men when ! say
that there is no member Of this body
who would knowingly foreclose to any
people struggling for their liberty the
sacred right Of revolution. II was this
right which our fathers asserted; it
underlays our war Of liberation against
Great Britain.
"The only respect in which Article II
can i'm any wise have any bearing upon
the case Of Ireland IS that IL would
furnish an opportunity for discussion
OF the Irish question before a tribunal
composed Of all the nations Of the |
world. This, I say is simply a possible |
effect and, while no relief in the way OF |
definite action could. under this article. |
be afforded 20 the people Of Ireland. yet .
I'm view Of the fact that a hearing be |
fore the bar OF the worlds public |
opinion can In no wise be preiudicial 20 |
Irish interests, 70 seems entirely reason |
able 20 say that il Article II can have |
any effect az all upon the status Of Ire
land. that effect must necessarily be Of
a beneficial nature
"The other branch Of argument that
the agitators Of Irish sympaihizlng
opinion in this country have adopted is
70 assert that while il is true that the
language OF Article 10 cannot compel
America 10 aid England in suppressing
the aspirations Of a struggling Ireland,
yet. the article does prevent the United
States from ever going 10 war against
Great Britain for the purpose Of free
ing Ireland
In reply 70 this contention. ] sub
NIT TO the Senate the following obser-
vations. In the first place as much as
we may sympathize with the aspira-
tions Of the Irish people to throNv %"
what they conceive 10 be the yoke OF
English tyranny. yet, do not wish TO
be understood as expressing the view
that in case such Irish uprising should
cnrnn lhn I,niInd slnlns .rnllId ritah 20