The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-28

like the method of enforcing the
league by the creation Of a tribunal
! in which other nations share is one
question; but that our government
can provide for the enforcement of
"a treaty by it's constitutional rights
is an entirely different question which
can be easily answered.
! There is, however, a more subtle
argument against the adoption OF
article X--because the council of the
league is given the right to decide
4 when we should go to war and that
power should rest constitutionally
with congress. Granting for a mo-
tment---but only for a moment-that
war might be declared by the council
against the wishes of congress, 1t IS
evident from the history of past
/ treaties that such. war-making threats
are embodied in all treaties in order
! to carry out their provisions. T1e
Des Moines Register and Leader
points ont in an editorial on the sub
ject that the United States made a
treaty with Panama which expressly
guarantees the independence Of
Panama and promises trouble to any
nation which violates that indepen-
dence. War could not be declared
without the sanction of congress, but
we are already committed to make
war II certain acts occur.
! Many other presidents could be
quoted to show that the right of our
government to- enforce treaties can
not be questioned constitutionally and
many men will tell you so. I will
only quote Mr. Taft on that subject,
as reported in the Independent of
august 21 On the second day OF
August, Mr.. Taft said: II did not
think, and do not now think, that any
thing in the league covenant as sent
to the senate would violate the con-
stitution of the united States"
! 1t is but fair to add, however, that
j the idea that the league supersedes
the constitution is based on the
bigger thought that the league will
iset up kind of uper-government
which will be greater than it's creator,
and thus in sense destroy the con-
istitution 1t is well known that
unanimous vote is necessary to bring
action in the council, and the mega
tive of the United States could hin
der any action which we did not care
/ to join. Nor would representative
of the United States have free
hand to steer our country through
THE council whittier he pleased. An
Ambassador can always be -ecalled,
and the danger of a super-government
will depend on other factors than the
council action.
ORA B. COLE.
| Keokuk, August q.
To the Editor of The Gate City:
! All adult American citizens, male
] and female, vote at the coming p''nsi-
Dental and congressional elections in
November In the meantime all should
seek infinite knowledge on the issues
involved, and vote for America AID
| American institutions first. last and
all the time. and against the traitor
Gus and unpatriotic doctrine of the
league of nations and the domination
of European Institutions in America.
] Our forefathers fought and died to
release themselves and us from that,
under the leadership OF Washington
and his copatriots. How can any
lover of the United States Of America,
native or foreign born, vote to e1-
| change our free Institutions and
liberty for the shackles of European
institutions and slavery. The gov
eminent OF the United States Is a
government of limited aud enumer-
ated powers as provided by the tenth
amendment, as follows: Powers not
delegated to the United States by the
constitution. nor prohibited by 1t to
the states, are reserved to the states
! respectively or to the people.
( Where is the power in the United
States to adopt the constitution of OF
(, to organize the league OF nations2
iShame on the American citizen of
foreign birth who fled the country II
his birth to free America, for refuge
from tyranny and disagreement, or
his descendant. to advocate and vote
this tyranneous yoke upon US
/ w. B. COLLINS.
! Keokuk, Aug. 27.