The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-10-21

sG.. Ho.r. rHgnostionablv one of the
.5...-.a m,.H. IF He country and the
a..#. ISIS %. ken concerning the league
# MT: rs and his opinions will have
great weight with the voters of the coun-
try. Here are some of the things he
believes about the league:
He believes a large majority of the
American people earnestly wish for an
organization among civilized nations
which shall cooperate to prevent future
wars. and that the United States shall
do her full share in that organization
and declares he desires this very
strongly.
Article 10 of the covenant of the
league, he believes, is inconsistent with
the purpose and spirit of the league.
He says: article 10 is an attempt to
carry over and continue for all time as
part of the organization to preserve
peace the exercise of power by the con-
quered nations in closing the war. 1t is
an alliance to enforce perpetually
through the operations of the league the
decisions of Mr.. Wilson and his asso-
ciates in the year 1919. 1t is a throw
back to the old discredited alliances of
the past. 1t speaks a language of
power, and not the spirit of progress.
+ To impose by force the judg-
ment of the rulers of the present genera
tion upon all future generations. This
is injected into plan for the develop
ment of moral force, which must grow
if it is to live, and must keep pace with
the continually changing conditions and
ideals Of successive generations"
1T is a practical certainty that if
the American government enters into the
obligations of Article 10, so positive in
its terms, so broad in its scope, so I'M
limited in its duration, the time will
presently come (as it has already come
swiftly to Europe) when the United
States will be called upon to make good
its guarantee by force, and when the
people of the United States will be I'M
willing to make the sacrifice of life and
treasure to carry on war in a distant
land for a cause of which they know
little, and for which they care less. The
presence of such stipulation in the
league covenant is an element of struc-
tural weakness in the scheme, for a COW
enant violated in any material part
ceases to be enforceable
Another of Mr.. Roots objections
to the league as at present formu-
lated is that it thrusts aside the
whole system of development of
international law and of arbitral de-
cision which had been the settled policy
of the United States for many genera
tions; and that the scheme creates a
uper-government which would destroy
the Independence of the United States
lie believes, however, that his objections
can be obviated without impairing the
usefulness of the league.
He declares that it is Article 10 that
Mr.. Cox will be bound to insist upon if
he be elected, and it is this article above
all others which Mr.. Harding will be
bound to reject if he be elected. = =
IF Mr.. Cox should be elected, he would
be bound to continue the old struggle
to force the senate to accept the league
covenant without change. If
Mr.. Harding is elected, he would be
bound to say to the foreign governments
who are already in the league: Here
are certain objections to certain pro-
visions of the league covenant which
stand in the way of Americas entering
the league. l would be glad to have
the provisions of the agreement changed
so as to obviate these objections Then
would follow an ordinary common-sense