Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-14
Monday, July u, 1919.
Critics lahore Vital Words

'eSS sShS'S v'sN'
A Portland gentleman writes 10
ask Of the kennebec Journal If it can
answer the attacks being made upon
Article x Of the League Of Nations
Covenant, and, Of so. why doesn't it?
Our first reason for not answering
every unwarranted attack upon the
Covenant is tina. We have deemed 1t
unnecessary. Every person in Amer
lea OF sufficient intelligence and in
terest to care one way or another,
kas read the Covenant, or is carry
ing it in his pocket for consultation
when denunciation runs wild. We
note that in the recent addresses Of
most distinguished statesmen are un-
reasonable declarations. apparently
uttered in the hope that vehemence
Will smother fact.
Opponents Of the Covenant. as we
have before remarked. focus their fire
upon Article X. but carefully ignore
or remain in ignorance of. most vital
words in the Article. Let US read it:
The members of the League under
take to respect and preserve as against
tegrity and existing political independ-
ence of all members Of the League In
case Of any such aggression or in cas-
OF any threat or danger of such agrees
FrvTy eh-1g 1Y-,-
means by which this obligation shall he
fulfilled"
Observe that the members of the
League undertake to protect each
others boundaries against external
aggression" only. This qualification
alone answers most of the arguments
directed against the article. In one
Of the Covenanter Letters. President
Taft says:
1T is objected to Article X that it
is too rigid. that progress Of the
world may need rearrangement Of
boundaries. an enlargement Of one
country and a reduction Of another
or the creation Of new states. Arti-
Gle x does not forbid changes in
boundaries or the enlargement of re-
.duction Of states or the establish
ment OF new states. All that it for
bids is the taking Of territory by
force from a member Of the League.
or overthrowing its government by
violence. Article X does not protect
any nation against internal disturb
anee, rebellion or revolution. 1t does
not prevent the division of states by
these means. The objection assumes
that war by one existing nation upon
another is necessary to the progress
Of the world to secure useful changes
IN boundary. We need not deny that
q war of aggression may achieve a
useful end. but the basis upon which
the League rests Is that such ad-
vantages are outweighed by the suf-
fering in modern war and the posi-
bility that small war may lead to a
general war and an enormous dam
age to civilization. The effort in the
formulation of the present treaty is
to make just boundaries and the ef-
feet Of Article x will doubtless be to
maintain those boundaries. in SO far
as to prevent foreign aggression from
affecting them.
The suggestion that Article X was
intended to bring to the aid Of Great
Britain the power Of the United
States to suppress a revolution in
Ireland is Of course wholly unbound
ed. because a revolution in Ireland
would not be an attack upon the ter
ritorial integrity or political indepen-
dence Of Great Britain by external
aggression.
THE insinuation against Article X
to get the aid of the United. States
and other members of the League to
defend and protect her far-fiung en-
pire' Is also without basis. No war
in the last century has been begun
against Great Britain to take away
territory from her. Neither she nor
the United States would feel called
upon to invoke the defense Of the
League to protect their boundaries.
They can defend themselves. No
other state is likely to attack them,
with the purpose Of violating Article
x. The reason for Article X is the
protection Of weaker nations against
stronger ones. Great nations are sell
dom attacked except In case Of a
conspiracy like that Of this present
war, and when such a conspiracy
exists. all Of the members Of the
League will be anxious to join in its
suppression. Article X is one Of the
great steps forward provided in the
League for the securing Of general
peace" r.