The diamond drill., 1919-09-06

We cnn 10 mitigate the winters suf-
f<ring. which. unless we find means
to prevent II. may prove disastrous to
a large Tortion Of the world. and may,
It It's worst, bring upon Europe con-
tfitions ever more terrible than those
brought by the war itself.
Nothing. am led TO believe. stands
In the way of the ratification Of the
treaty except doubts with regard 10
the meaning and implication OF GER
tain articles OF the covenant OF the
League OF Nations; and must frankly
say that l am unable 10 understand
wex such doubts should be enter
tained. You VIII recall that when has
the pleasure OF conference with
your committee and with the commit
tee OF the house OF representatives on
foreign afairs M the White House In
March last, the questions now most
frequently asked about the League OF
Nations were all canyassed. with view
10 their immediate clarihcation. The CO.
venant Of the league was then Ia Its hrsi
draft and subject TO revision. II was
pointed out that no express recognition
was given 10 the Monroe doctrine
that II was not expressly provided that
the League should have no authority 10
act or 20 express judgment on mat
ters Of domestic policy that the right
70 Withdraw from the league was not
expressly recognized. and that the con.
stitutIonal rights Of the congress 10
determine all questions OF peace and
war was not sufficiently safeguarded.
On my return to Paris nll these mat
ters were taken up again by the com.
mission on the League OF Nations
and every suggestion OF the United
States was accepted.
THE view OF the United States with
regard to the questions have men
toned had, In fact, already been ac-
cepted by the commission and there
was supposed 10 be nothing lncon-
sistent with them In the draft OF the
covenant first adopted. the draft which
was the subject of our discussion In
March. hut no objection was made TO
anything explicitly In the text that all
had supposed 10 be implicit in IL.
"The Monroe doctrine Is expressly
mentioned as an understanding which
is In no way 10 be impaired or inter
fered with by anything contained in
the covenant, and the expression
regional understanding like the Mon
roe doctrine was used, not because
any one of the conference thought
there was any comparable agreement
anywhere else In existence or In CON
temptation. but only because Il was
thought best TO avoid the appearances
OF dealing In such document with
the policy OF a single nation.
with regard 10 domestic questions.
article XVI of the covenant ex-
pressly provides that, II in case any
dispute arising between members OF
the league the matter Involved Is
claimed by one OF the parties and Is
found by the council to arise out OF a
matter which by international law Is
solely within the domestic Jurisdiction
Of that party, the council shall so re-
port and shall make no recommenda-
tion as 10 its settlements. The United
States was by no means the only gov
ernment Interested In the explicit
adoption OF this provision. and there II
no doubt IN the mind OF any authorita-
tive student OF international law that
such matters as immigration, tariffs
and naturalization are incontestably
domestic questions with which no in
ternational body could deal.
"The right OF any state to Withdraw
had been taken for granted. hut no
objection was made To making II ex-
plicit. Indeed SO soon as the views
expressed at the White House confer
ence were laid before the commission
IL was at once conceded that II was
best not TO leave the answer 10 so I'm
portant question 90 inference. No
proposal was made TO set up any fri
bunal 10 pass judgement upon the
question whether Withdrawing ma
tlon had I'm fact fulfilled all IFS inter.
national obligations and all it's obliga-
tions under the covenant II was rec
ognized that that question must be
left TO be resolved by the conscience
Of the nation proposing 90 withdraw I;
and must say thai II did not seem 10 me
worth while to propose that the article
be made more explicit because I knew
that the United States would never itself
propose TO withdraw from the leagus n its
conscience was not entirely clear as 10 the
fulhlIment OF all its international ohllga-
tions. II has never failed 10 fulHr them
and never will
article X Is IN no respect Of doubtful
meaning when read n the light or the
covenant as whole. The council OF the
league can only advise upon the means
by which the obligations Of that great
article are 20 be given effect to. Unless
the United states Is party TO the policy
or action In question. her own affirmative
vote lu the council Ia necessary before
any advice can be- given. for unanimous
vote Of the council n required, if she A.
party. the trouble - here anyhow. and
the unanimous vote Of the c4council Us only
advice IN any case. Each government Is
free ia reject Il II "a please Nothing could
huAsa hDpu r4,n44as mora t.ienr fa fta ..y, far