The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-18

| Therefore Il was necessary TO make this
provision OF the reservation have just
cad q part OF the act OF ratification.
But even supposing that the President
dominated a representative on the coun-
ell TO the Senate and he was confirmed
by the Senate. He would be the Presi-
dents selection. and II u question in
volving war were to arise he would un-
doubtedly vote as the President directed
In other words, we como back to the
proposition that without such minute
precautions as were taken In the res
ervation I have Just quoted one man
could involve the United States In wer.
"It matters not II that one man IL the
President Under the Constitution the
Congress alone can declare war; ana
yet under this alliance called q league
the President would have power to in
volve the country In war before Congress
could act. 1t Is no reply to say that this
is an inccnceivable case. that such a
thing would never happen. Such q thing
would IN very likely to happen II we
continued Mr.. Wilson In the White
House or any Of his heirs or assigns.
Moreover, as q broad general principle
there never should be any opportunity
for one man to have the power to put
the country into such O. war as the
covenant OF the league submitted by Mr..
w
from the provision Of the treaty
It would be more than possible. as the
covenant Of the league now stands, for
our soldiers and sailors to be sent to
war without the assent Of the represent
tatives OF the people in Congress. This
shows the dangers entirely outside the
authority OF Article ", and on that
article \ now wish to say more specin-
cally few words
The Power in Article X.
"Article X, In my Judgment, imposes
an individual obligation which would au-
thorize any member OF the league whose
territory was subject to external agrees
sion to call on the United States to full
| fl its guarantee, and that the fact that
| other guarantors were not asked TO In
tervene would not affect the Individual
obligation OF the United States IL that
| demand was made by the invaded mem
Der Of the league. But the fatal objec-
ton to Article X. rests on much broader
grounds than this. Admit, IL you please,
| that the proposition OF an individual OBJ
legation Is arauable, there can be no pos
| sible doubt that this article imposes an
| obligation on all members Of the league.
| Article X differs from all others IN its
| first sentence, for 1t makes no reference
to assembly or council. An obligation
| Is placed upon all members OF tho league
to preserve the political independence
and territorial integrity of every other
league member when subject to external
aggression. The obligation Is imperative
and immediate. The second sentence,
which gives to the council the power to
advise as to the means OF fulfilling the
obligation. does not in the least remove
the obligation of the guarantee and a
guarantee OF boundaries and indepcn-
dcnce given by one country to another
means practically the use Of force-of
the army and navy Of the guaranteeing
Power That is what such a guarantee
in practice always means. That is what
Mr.. Wilson understood by the guarantee,
| as have already uhown.
1.-THE obligation falls on every one Of
the members of the league and It Is not
to be avoided except by breach Of the
treaty. 1t is said that the council might
not advise the use of military force. but
this would be to rely OH q most unlikely
contingency. Where military force alone
could be effective the council would be
bound to advise it, and whether they did
or not the obligation still remains un-
touched upon the guarantors.
1.-THE argument is made that the OBJ