Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-08-05
HERE'S WHERE WE
DRAW THE LINZ

flEhES NhEhE WE
DRAW THE LINE
One of Mr.. McCutcheon' cartoons
carried an incomplete idea of the
working of the council of the league
of nations under article Y, and a
correspondent writes to ask il it is
our conception of the league that the
United States could be forced to &C
| tion by a vote in the council in which
it did not acquiesce. 1t is not.
The substantial difference be-
tween the republican and the demo-
cratic policy with respect to article
X lies in the republican insistence
that the United States shall not be
committed to war unless congress
declares war and the democratic in
sistence that the council of the
league of nations may involve the
United States in war without the ac-
ton of congress.
The republicans stay within the
constitution of the United States.
The democrats seek to supersede it
by a treaty. Article X declares that
the members of the league of ma
lions will preserve the territorial in
tegrity of all members of the league.
II says luCs viii ullhtl AdhC " wv
so, and an undertaking means ac-
ton. In case of aggression the
council of the league. composed of
representatives of nine nations, will
"advise upon the means by which
this obligation shall be fulfilled"
The obliation to take action is spe-
cific The nations signing the
agreement have no way out. The
council recommends a course of ac-
ton. This course of action to be
binding on the United States needs
only the vote of the American repre-
sentative on the council. With that
one vote the United tSates is swept
into any enterprise in Europe, Asia,
and Africa.
Wilson asked for power to repre-
sent the American people, and they
did not give il to him. He asked
for democratic congress in order
that he and the world might know
that what he proposed at Paris had
the sanction of the United States.
Upon that plea he was turned
down and. nevertheless, he went to
Paris, and there. acting as the Am
erican representative in the council
OF the league of nations might act,
he tried to commit the United States
to an agreement which he now says
the United States is morally bound
TO accept.
From this we now can see where
the country would be IL Wilson had
acted upon authority. We are ac-
cused now as moral slackers and de-
linquents because we do not sign
what the president promised we
would sign. We, as a nation, had
not agreed to do so. The nation
asked to see the document. II asked
to read it before signing, but Mr..
Wilson says that he could make a
moral committal.
We stand free from the reproach,
but we could not If the signature of
| tie United States we're on an arsGe-
ment pledging us to do precisely that
thing. The difference between
Mr.. Wilson in Paris and the Ameri-
| lean council member in Geneva is
that Wilson was without authority
J and the council member would have
| full authority.
There would be no senate to plo-
tect the people from the council
member Congress would have no
, power over him. He might repre-
sent a stubborn man, as Wilson is,
| and with the country even frantic in
| it's opposition to the courses to
which he was committing it, he
would have from it the authority to
do what he was doing.
Then we must either follow OF
break an agreement. The case in
point now is vivid and exact. Rus
STA has invaded Poland. The coun-
ell of the league of nations takes no
| cognizance of the fact, but it ought
to. 1t is plainly covered by the cove
, nant. If the United States were a
member of the league the American
representative could put the United
| States at war with Russia and IL con-
gress did not back up his action with
| appropriations and legislation it
would break a solemn agreement.
There is no check stipulated
against the decisions of this one
man. He might be a Wilson or a
| puppet of Wilson. 1t is easy enough
| for president to drag a congress
with him into war. Commitments
| OF this nature are easy. II a situa-
ton is made. it must be followed
through, and the president, and not
congress, makes the situation. But
to transfer this power from Wash
ington to Geneva and place it in the
| hands of one man surrounded by all
the influences and intrigues Of Euro
pean diplomacy is more than a re-
| publican will do
1t is a grave infringement of ma
| tional freedom, and the republicans
say that the action of this man shall
not be binding unless it has the
support of congress, which means
the support of the American people.