Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-10-05

O. Can the covenant of the
league be amended?
O. With regard to the second OBJ
lection to the league, if we stay
out, can we hope TO maintain our
isolation?
A. we cannot; for number OF
reasons. For one thing, the fu-
ture of warfare is in the air. HAD
the great war continued six months
longer German Zeppelins might
have bombarded New York.
@. But can aircraft inflict much
damage2-
A. At present, and comparative
" speaking, no. Air warfare is
still in its infancy, but 1t is being
rapidly improved. What aircraft
may be able to inflict. in combina-
tion with the new poison and in
flammable gases, disease bacilli,
and wireless control, no one can
say.
Q. But can aircraft alone take
and hold territory?
A. No.
Q. The nemey must land armed
human forces?
a. Yes.
@. The British empire could not
land an expedition at Gallipoli
tagainst the feeble Turks. How
could foreign nation land troops
| on our shores?
A. They could not, directly. But
any coalition which held the seas
and which included Mexico or
Canada could make of such ada
cent country a base for accumulat-
I ing armies and dispatching air
craft
Q. Assuming that we were I'M
mune from attack, would the Unit
ed States find it easy to keep out
Of another general European war?
A. No. Our world interests as
great power are so wide that we
would be Inevitably affected in our
interests by a general war; and
the history of the last war would
in all probability repeat itself.
@. What other important factor
makes it impossible for US to stand
wholly aloof from a general Euro
pean war?
A. Our population is a blend OF
many European social and national
elements, some of these dating
| hack to our earliest history, some
more recent 1t is inevitable that
| a general European war should
arouse sympathies or fears among
our various social strains. A Eu-
ropean war is bound to re-echo
loudly in the United States.
| Q. Is the league super-stateF
A. No. A state must have an
forces to make good its ordinanc-
| es, and the power to levy taxes.
| The league of nations has no trace
/ of government in the ordinary and
accepted sense. The council and
! assembly have no power except to
advise, propose, or lrecommend.
/ The council might advise the men,
/ bers TO join in war upon an tof-
/ fender but the members are IN
nowise bound to take this advice.
| The league has no army or navy
and no power to levy taxes. Its
+ current expenses will be paid with
funds voted by the congress, par
Ilament, or chambers of its men,
bers.
@. Do we give up any of our
sovereignty in subscribing to the
covenant of the league?
I \. Only insofar as it is restricted
by the express agreements con-
tanned in the covenant. We sur
render no sovereignty to the coun-
Gil or assembly. We have now,
and had before the great war,
treaties with twenty foreign ma
tions agreeing to submit to investi-
CATION and report by an interna-
tional commission all disputes,
even those involving vital differ
euces. BY these treaties we agree
not to exercise our sovereignty
right to go to war during the year
allowed for investigation. The
league merely carries this principle
a short step forward. 1t does,
however, provide adequate and
modern machinery, never in exist
ence before 1919.
.. Do we make no other sur
render?
y. We do, We agree that when
any nation tbro1eh rpsprtine 10