Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-28

action can be taken in any
essential matter without a unanimous
vote OF all members of the council of
the league. No decision of the league,
II America Joined it. could be made
effective or even promulgated without
consent. Like every other nation.
We have a veto powr upon very reso-
luton or act OF the league. We car
be involved in no enterprise. except of
our own choosing; and If we are not
satisfied with the league. we can
our connection with 1t pom two Years
notice. The risk exists only in the
Imagination. the service is incalcula-
BILE.
Moreover. the United States insisted
that Cuba, Haiti, Liberia. Panama,
Nicaragua, Honduras. and Guatemala
should each be given a vote, as we'll
as the nations of South America.
great and small. Including the nations
which are bound by vital interests to
the United States, or, indeed. directly
votes in the League of Nations than
any other nation. How could We. in
good faith, urge that these nations be
given a voice and deny a voice to
such self-governing nations as Can
ada, New Zealond and the rest, which
relatively speaking. made far more
sacrifices in the war thar our own
country? 1t is desirable that all coun-
tries should have a opportunity to be
heard in the league; and the safety
of each nation resides in the fact that
10 action car be taken without n
consent OF all. -
Responsibility for the Defeat Of the
Treaty.
It was the design Of Senator Lodge.
from the outset, to mutlate the treaty
and to Illustrate the purposes Of the
administration. And yet Senator
Lodge, with the help Of the ire
concilables, having torn the treaty to
tatters and thrown its fragments in
the face Of the world. has the eff.
frontery to suggest, in his address at
Chicago, hat the president blocked
ratification and postponed peace.
The trouble with the treaty OF
peace is hat it was negotiated by a
Democratic president. 1t is not diff
ficult to. assess the responsibility for
its defeat. The responsibility rests,
not upon its friends, but upon its
enemies.
The foreign relations committee,
Immediately following the last cleo.
consisting Of the open foes of the
treaty. Amongst the number, was
Senator Borah, who declared that he
would not be for a League of Nations
were the Savior of mankind to advo-
, cate it. Senator Johnson. Senator
Knox n Senator Moses, whose
hatred of the president amounts tC
ar obsession, were also members; and
Senator Lodge was chairman.
The treaty vas referred to the com.
mittee thus studiously prepared for
it's hostile reception. The members OF
this committee adopted every subter'
fuge to misrepresent the document
which they were supposed to be con.
sidering as statesmen. Deputations OF
foreign born citizens were. brought tt
Washington in an effort to color anc
e~xaggerate the impression Of popula,
opposition.
The senate had even begun the dis
cussion of the treaty months before
it's negotiation was concluded. and die
not terminate its debate until nine
months after the submission OF thu
treaty. 1t took the senate nearly three
times as long to kill the treaty b,
protracted debate and by confusing
and multiplying amendments and reser
vations as 1t took the Representatives
of the Allied governments to draft 1t