Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-22
THE FIRST AMENDMENT

THE FIRST AMENDMENT
The first proposed amendment to the League. Of
Nations constitution which viii be voted on, the vote on
which will be OF the greatest interest both because Of the
subject matter and because it will operate as a test of
strength between the senate factions now contending for
supremacy. is that framed by Senator johnson. providing,
in substance. that the United States shall have equal vot-
ing powers in the league with Great Britain. including
all its dependencies.
AS the matter now stands the British units entitled
to league membership are Great Britain proper, Canada.
New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and India. Each
of these units is entitled to its one vote in the league as
senbly, on the same basis with every other Independent
nation.
1t is maintained in defense Of the proposed amend
naent that the present arrangement gives to the British
possessions an unfair voting strength as compared with
the other nations. including the United States.
On the other hand attention is called to the self.
evident tact that no other power is so constituted as is the
British empire, and that Is not unreasonable that this
special arrangement should be made to fit a special set
Of facts. !
A glance at some OF these facts may aid In reaching
q clear understanding Of the issue. In the vegetable,
world the British empire, in its evolution and method Of
growth, has what may be considered a fair parallel in
the strawberry plant. This plant sends out from its main
center runners which, for a time. are entirely dependent
on the parent plant. Presently, at some point the run
ner develops a bud from which leaves unfold: roots at
tach themselves to the earth, and, a new plant, with a life
and an identity of its own, is under way. For a time, at
least, the connection with the parentplant by means OF
the runner continues. -i-
Some Of Britains colonies have not yet taken root.
They are dependent in every way on the parent country.
One group severed the connection and established. itself
as the United States. Several, though still attached by
runners, are living separate and independent lives. NO
other power is SO situated. The British self governing
colonies, of which Canada is a type, are united by ties Of
sentiment and tradition to the mother country, but ex-
cept in respect to their foreign relations alone, they are
separate and independent nations. Canada can make no
formal treaty with another nation, though she can and
does make trade agreements which have the effect Of
treaties. she,cannot make war or conclude peace on her
own account. She levies her own taxes and spends the
money as she sees fit. The British parliament can levy
no tax in Canada, and she derives not a dollar of revenue
from. that country. Canada makes and administers her
own laws, organizes and maintains her own military force,
builds and equips her own navy, or. goes without one as
her own parliament decides. All Of this is true of the
other self-governing dominions.
AS in the case of most other things which have Gust
growed," there are anomalies in this relationship. When
the British government declared war on Germany all of
the British possessions became technically at war with
Germany. But what they were to do about it remained
" uSAH " Say OQ Eli the tWOrl0 KNOWS.
But the fact remained that they were plunged into war
without being consulted. Their statesmen, and those Of
the United Kingdom. recognized the incongrtity Of such
a state of affairs, and at one conference Lloyd George de-
clared that such a condition must never arise again, and
that in any case the outlying dominions must have 4 voice
IN determining the conditions Of the peace for which
they were fighting so gallantly.
AS to the practical effect Of the present provision,
each Of the British units named is entitled to representa-
ton in the league assembly. It ia recognized as what 1t
is in substance. a national body. Representation is by
nations. regardless of size. Canada and Australia, with
their vast extent and their great potentialtties, have one
voice and one vote each. SO has Haiti. which ia in LEADING
strings. and Poland. just re-created. So save France and
Italy and the United States, among the powerful nations
Of the earth. The decisions of the assembly. save in IN
important matters. must be unanimous, hence the assem-
bly, will be largely a body for conference. In the council,
winch is he-real executive body. Great Britain, the United
y STATES ana tho other seven members have one vote each,
and there. also. the decisions must be unan,1nous.
It ma ybe taken for granted that If the constitution
{ isannended as proposed the plan followed would be that
OF excluding from separate membership the independen,
British domtnions. France. italy ana the other sienator.
1s have assented TO tho present arrangement. They
would not assent TO an agreement which would give any
other power than the British empire greater representa-,
Z ton than Themselves. for no other power is Organized or
thatsbasts. Excluded from membership these domtnionl
could disavcw all responsibility In relation to the deci
stons OF the leasne, for the British cabinet cannot decide
n and the British parliament canno4-legislate xor Canada
81 New Zealand or South Africa The situation then woult
bs that the British empire would be a member OF tn,
#ssiessue without authority to speak TOR nine-tenthsr Of it
4 population
WOMEN AND THE FRANCHISE
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doctrine thats a. pslidcsl nfs women diner ~naaser1als
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aosiat,on, snuncia4ss:t h.s thsofy IN n articles ii whtc