The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-02
Johnson ASSERTS
LEAGUE IS HUGE
WARFARE TRUST"
California Senator ASSaiIS
World Union Idea and Says
People Will Not Be Allowed
a.. Vote as to Future Wars.

WASHINGTON, June 2.-Assailing
me league Of nations as a ~combina-
tloh OF armed powers "in a gigantic
var trust Senator Johnson, Republi-
III q California, told the senate to-
uay the Paris conference dared not
a4Ilenu the league covenant so the dec
laration OF future wars would be decided
not by established rulers, but by a
popular vote of the peoples concerned.
IL is not q league Of nations to pre-
vent war he asserted. ut contains
~Ihin itself the germs Of many wars,
ana worse than that, it rivets as in
me Shantung decision, the chains Of
tyranny upon millions of people; ce-
mehtS Tor all time unjust and wicked
innovations. 1t is a great world econ
otnlc trust, where In a few men, sit
Ilhg IN secret, may control the economic
usstlhles OF peoples. II is not a league
OF peoples, nor does It anywhere con-
Germ itself with peoples.
instead OF coming closer to those
most concerned, the men and women
tor whom governments should exist, the
league goes a step farther from them
n representatives of ruling powers
SIT far away In secret. II those who
wrote ms document really wanted to
prevent war, they would have permitted
the men and women who must bear
me burdens OF war, to determine by
be war.
The answer is not a league TO pro-
mote peace, but to protect power, Those
VINO advocate II dare not amend IL so
that issue OF war shall be made by the
men and women who must fight and
die for it,"
Urging adoption Of his resolution ask
ing the state department for the full
lcNt "t the peace treaty, Senator John
ON read into the record the oft-auoted
u%tterances Of President Wilson regard |
ing open diplomacy"
open covenants openly arrived at"
cohtlnueV the senator, "are now n by
WORD and q joke, Their mention brings
but a cynical smile"
me revised covenant, Mr.. Johnson
continued, far from preserving the Mon
roe doctrine, would mean its destruc- |
tloh. he declared the league would
te a partnership between the worlds
one great going concern" and bankrupt |
nations, and charged thatN government |
propaganda was dlsCreditlne league op-
ponents. BY the Paris negotiations. he |
SAID, the United States has made many
powerful enemies.
as no nation on earth ever had been
before, was respected. reVered, and be-
loved, y he declared, After six months
OF meddllng and muddling in European
ana Asiatlc controversies and contests
over territory, the end of the peace
wv INhlN utItlIlnR uS, |
France secretly. despising US. England
using us, and Japan blufflng ug.
they are all willing and anxious
that we should have our league Of ma
tltn, and willing ana anxious because
OF me same spirit which has ruled them
solvent concern nationally is about
TO enter into partnership with certain
national hankrupts. We give of our
assets, both moral and material, and
n part Of their liabilities"
Quoting the Monroe doctrine amend
Johnson continued:
II an American with the purpose
N view OF protecting the Monroe doc L
mo, wrote this article, his affection
Tor II was tepid, and his allegiance
.eeble. 1t could not have boon written
'truction of the Monroe doctrine, The
amendment simply says the validity of
regional understandings for securing the
maintenance OF peace shall not be
ittected' In other words II the Monroe
doctrine 10 to he administered II viii
nations TO administer It.
rho blacklist page in all our history
written when our name was signed
70 The treaty delivering ShantunE to
lapah. We have not only committed
me crime. In the first instance, but
- '"' - ehot oliNNNu lHt crime IuF all |
inc, We give by the peace treaty
TO Japan and by the league of
rart of tho same document.
We guarantee Shantung to Japan and
Guarantee 1t with our treasure and ous
,lood, "
ut Is absolutely clear that quea.
ions like immigration, those arising
rom the, allen land law Of California,
md similar matters will be within the
Jurisdiction or the lengae. Remember
hat there IL In existence an offensive
md defensive alliance between ,Japan
nd Great Britain and that when the
Of Shantung recently was up,
!ritain very frankly said this treaty
Illiance ,stNl existed. AS a Californian.
am not ready to submit any race
Problems we may have to the jurisdic-
ion Of the council Of the league of ma.
ions, or to the league itself.
Il am unwilling that either body
liquid pass upon possibly the gravest
.uestion that confronts us, You gentle
men from the South would resent the
.urgestion that a race problem of your
be decided by nations bound
~ iln panA DFfn,t,J a., .... 80 ~ l.