New-York tribune., 1920-10-18
us byword for bad faith among the
nations.
Who Provides the Veto?

Who Provides the Veto7
"This is not al, However, that can be
said about the veto. Who is to apply
the veto? Who is to record the veto
Of the United States in the Council
against the votes of the eight other
members? Naturally the representa-
tive of the United States on the Coun
Gil. How is he to be appointed and
selected? On this the covenant Of the
league is silent. Under the covenant
of the league as it stands the President
of the United States could send a rep
resentative to the Council and nobody
could question his credentials. That
representative SO appointed by the
involve US in war under Article x. The
compelling moral obligation would then
apply and Congress would have nQ
choice except to give the formal au-
thority and make the necessary appro-
priations. We met this difficulty by a
reservation which has not been much
considered in the campaign but which
is of vast Importance. 1t was as fol-
lows:
"'No person is, or shall be. author
lied to represent the United States,
nor shall any citizen of the United
States be eligible, as a member of any
"
lied by said treaty Of peace with Ger
many, except pursuant to an act Of
Congress of the United States provid-
ing, for his appointment and defining
his powers and duties
"This is one Of the reservations
which Mr.. Wilson condemned as nulli-
flying the league and yet that reserva-
ton rejected by Mr.. Wilson is all
that would stand between this country
and war brought on by the President
and his personal agent. 1t is idle to
say that this could be done by statute
after we had Joined the league, that
it is q domestic matter and we could
deal with it alone. 1t would require
a two thirds vote OF Congress to pass
statute over the Presidents veto
and the present President would never
tolerate any such limitations upon his
authority.
But even supposing that the Presi-
dent nominated a representative on
the Council to the Senate and he was
confirmed by the Senate. He would
be the Presidents selection and if
a question involving war were to arise,
he would undoubtedly vote as the
President directed. In other words,
we come back to the proposition that
without such minute precautions rs
were taken in the reservation | have
Ju"N VuOeSu oHc man cOulQ Involve
the United States in war. 1t matters
not If that one man is the President
Under the Constitution the Congress
alone can declare war and vet under
this alliance, called the league. the
President would have power to in
volve the country in war before Con-
gress could act
An Imperative Obligation
article X in my judgment imposes
an individual obligation which would
authorize any member of the league
whose territory was subject to exter-
nal aggression to call on the United
States to fulfill it's guarantee and that
the fact that other guarantors were
not asked to intervene would not af-
iect the individual obligation of the
united States, if that demand was
made by the invaded member of the
league. Article X differs from all
others IN Its first sentence. for it
cakes no reference to Assembly or
Council. An obligation is placed upon
al members Of the league to preserve
the political independence and terri
torlal integrity of every other league
member when subject to external no
gresslon. The obligation is impera-
tive and immediate. The second SEN
tence, which gives to the Council the
Eower to advise as to the means of
fuliil!ing the obligation, does not in
the least remove the obligation of
guaranty, and guaranty of boundar-
les and independence given by one
country to another means practically
the use of force-of the army and
navy of the guaranteeing power.
The obligation falls on every one of