Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-09-24
political Adertising.) }
REPUBLICAN, COLUMN

the Issue raised by Article 10. II
we do not intend to impair the
ght Of Congress to decide the
question OF peace or war when
the time for action arises, how
can we Insist on moral obIlqa-
tlon to 90 to war which can have
no force or value except as It
does Impair the Independence OF
Congress. w. J. Bryan, In Jack
son Day Dinner speech, January
8, 1920.
"The members of the League under
take to respect and preserve against
external aggression the territorial in
tegrity and existing political indepsn-
dence OF all members of the League.
In case of any such aggression or in
case of any threat or danger of such
aggression the Council shall advise
upon the means by which this obliga-
cation shall be fulfilled" : Arti-
Gle 10, League of Nations Covenant.
This is the celebrated Article 10,
Mr.. Wilson calls it the Heart of the
Covenant. Mr.. Cox pledges himself to
it as vital part of the Covenant. The
Senate insists upon the following res
ervation:
"The United States assumes no OBJ
legation to preserve the territorial in
tegrity or political independence of
any other country by the employment
OF its military or naval forces .
unless in any particular case the
Congress, which, under the Constitu-
tion has the sole power to declare
war or authorize the employment of
the military or naval forces of the
United States, shall, in the exercise
Of full liberty of action, by act or
joint resolution so provide"
What Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Cox Demand
Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Cox demand
that, as part of the Covenant OF the
League ef Nations, Article 10 shall be
accepted by the United States with
out essential reservations" What
would such acceptance mean to the
United States?
1t would mean that the United
States would face the perils on fore
ign controversy and bloodshed thru
out the world; that the United States
would be exposed to the dangers Of
every war between nations anywhere
in the world; that American soldiers
and sailors would be on call to fight
and die in every quarter of the globe
for causes that were foreign and for
interests that were not theirs.
The nations Of Europe, Asia, and
Africa are expected by Mr.. Wilson
to join the League-twenty nine are
already members. No conflict is
thinkable among them that does not
involve either external aggression"
or political independence" And the
United States, by Article 10, would
be bound to preserve against exter-
nal aggression the territorial integri-
t. and existing political independence
of all the members OF the League
1t is pledge as wide as the world,
as foreign as Asia, as dark as Africa,
as perfoulous as war, as deadly as
pestilence, as sweeping as death.
Once taken,its dire consequences
would follow one another as inevi-
tably as night follows day.
Nc Evasion Of this Pledge
Advocates OF Article 10 have tried
to conceal the true nature of this
pledge. They have endeavored to
prove that, though taken by the Uni5
ted States, the pledge could be eyadl
ed If it became too burdensome; thai
IL called upon by the League to fight
In foreign wars, the Government
might find a reason in the Constitd-
tion to justify It's refusal. 1t is true
that the pledge to go to war, ON the
summons Of foreign powers, is uni
constitutional. Only Congress, indel
pendent of all foreign control, may
put us into war. But with the pledge
once given and accepted in the Coven.
ant, how base and false this line of
argument would be. As Senator Borah
said in the Senate:
Here is q solemn obligation, origin
al, primary, that we viii preserve the
territorial integrity of these nations
It does not make any difference
whether any one advises Or not; our
duty is there. and 1t is solemn obli-
cation that we viii perform it. We
can only escape from 1t along the
path Of dishonor. It is an individual
obligation. Those who argue that we
may get out Of this thing must adopt
one of two courses: They must either
show that 10 enforce IL would be un-
constitutional. or they must escape By
disregarding and dishonoring our
solemn contract. II we so forward. |
we violate the Constitution. Il we go
back, we violate national honor. Z We
go forward; we wreck the Constitu- |
ton. If we go backward. we wreck
the Covenant Of the League.
So much for the argument that, Il |
fna TTuttoa G#afaa v4oIafn the Consff- 4