The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-01
LEAGUE is SUBJECT OF
DOCUMENT By PRESIDENT
Epistle Deals With Article Ten In
Regard to Ireland and Was In
Reply to One From Calieor-
mia Asking For In
formation.

Washington, Sept. 2S-The 1lrst
public document in the present Pres
idential campaign to be Issued at the
Wn,le House, wss maize public today
1t dealt with the League, of Nations
I'D was in the form of letter to E.
Swartz, of Los Angeles, written BY,
Secretary Tumulty at President Will,
sons direction.
The White House letter was in re-,
ply to one to the President III which
Mr.. Swartz had declared the forces
supporting the Republican ticket were
coftending that if article ten OF the
League covenant was ratified the
United States would. be bound to
support England in holding Ireland
under subjection."
The letter to Mr.. Swartz follows:
"In reply to your letter of the 10th
Of September, I beg to say that the
identical questions contained in your
letter, with reference to article ten
and the right of self-determination
found in the covenant of the League
of Nations &ere placed before the
President while he was on his west
ern trip last year and fully answered
by him. The President directs me to
call your attention to the following
questions and answers given by him
to the press at that time which
think satisfactorily answer your in
quiries. '. e.
"The questions and answers are as
follows: i
"Q-Under the covenant does the
nation obligate itself to assist any
member of the league in putting down
a rebellion of its subjects or con-
quered peoples.
"A-It does not.
+ "Q-Under the covenant can this
nation independently recognize gov
ernment whose peoples seek to a.
chieve or have achieved their inde-
pendence from a member of the lea
que?
"A-The independent action of the
government of the United States IN
matter of this kind is in no. way
limited or affected by the covenant
Of the League of Nations.
|. "Q-Under the covenant are those
subject nations or peoples only that
are mentioned in the peace treaty en-
titled to the right of self-dtermina-
ton or does the league possess : the
right to accord similar privilege to
other subject nations or people?
"A-It was net possible for the
peace conference to act with regard
tc the self-determination of any ter
.ritory except those which had be-
lcnged to the defeated empires, but
in the covenant of the League of Ma
tions it has set up for the first time
in article eleven, a forum to which
all claims of self-determination which
are likely to disturb the peace of the
wcrld or the good understanding be-
tween nations upon which the peace
of the world depends, can be brought.
"Q-Why was the case of Ireland
not heard at the peace conference?
And what is"your opinion on the sub
ject of self-determination of Ireland?
"A-The case of Ireland was not
heard at the peace conference be-
cause the peace conference had no
jurisdiction over any question of that
sort which did not affect territories
which belonged to the defeated en-
pires. My position on the subject of
self-determination for Ireland is ex-
pressed in article eleven of the cove
nant in which I may say I was par
ticularly interested, because it SEEM
was likely to affect the peace and
freedom of the world that a forum
should be created to which all peo-
Piles could bring any matter which
was likely to acect the peace and
froodoro of tba yuor1d ~