Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-10-07

A. 1t is an undertaking to re-
snect and preserve as against eS-
ternal aggression the territorial
integrity and existing political in
dependence of all members OF the
league. The exact text is as fol-
lows:
"The members of the league un-
dertake to respect and preserve
as against external aggression the
territorial integrity and EXISTING
of all the 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 obligation
shall be fulfilled"
@. What were the reasons Tor
this article?
A. There were two reasons
~ After former wars the VIC
tors often rewarded themselves by
annexing territory of the vanqulsh-
ed As the populations of terri
tory so annexed were thereafter
Governed against their own wishes
this was a great breeder Of wars.
The forced transfer Of Alsace-Lor-
raine from French to German SOW
preignty in 1871 was one of the
causes of the great war in 1914
90 The Peace of Versailles ere
ated a number of new or renewed
nations from people formerly heLo
in bondage by alien powers. Con-
spicuous among these were Poland
formerly divided among Russia,
Austria and Germany. So Hungary
Czecho- -Slovakia, and Jugo-Slavia
were carved out from the late
Hapsburg empire Such new states
are always feeble at first, They
offer an easy opportunity for ag'
( gressive enemies. Article Y was
( drawn to protect them during theit
+ period of growth.
Q. Does the league covenant
bind its members to go to war tc
defend any nation whose terrific
rial integrity is threatened or vio'
lated by an external enemy?
A. 1t does not, according to the
spirit of the covenant and its re-
cent interpretation. When Grea
/ Britain was asked to send force.
for the defense of Poland agains
/ the Russian bolsheviki Mr.. Lloyt
/ George, the British premier. sup
ported by his cabinet and his par
lament, declared that Article ,
/ did not bind Great Britain to taxi
military action for her defense
This decision was openly or tacitl.
approved by all other members o
! the league, none of whom consid
cred the sending of troops to Pc
land.
Q. Just how would Article X op
crate for the protection of small
nations?
A. Lloyd Georges full statemen
on Poland in the house of com
mons on August 10 gives the an
swer;
1--WE have entered into a cove
nant with the nations who signe
the peace treaty to have recours
to other methods than the bruta
methods of war for the purpose o
settling international disputes, an
the whole governing and root ide
of that covenant, as l understan
it. does not contemplate, necessar
lily, military action in support o
an imperilled nation; it contenl
templates economic action an
pressure. II contemplates suppor
of the struggling people, and whe
it is said that if you give any sup
port at all to Poland it involves
great war, whit conscription an
all the mechanism of war. wit
which we have been so painful
acquainted during the last fe'
years, that Is inconsistent with IN
whole theory of the covenant int
which we have entered. 1t COZ
templates other methods of brins
, ing pressure TO bear upon recatc
trant nations which are guilty {
acts of aggression against the
| neighbors and endanger their il
dependence.
Q. How may we make our VI
dertakings regarding Article
clear and definite?
A. BY an interpretative reserv;
! ton which, in view of the lat