Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-28
White HOUSE
LETTER DEALS
WITH LEAGUE
Wilson's Secretary Writes
Document in Connection
With Campaign.

Washington, Sept. 2s.-The first Of
fetal document in the present cam
paign from the White House was
made public today. 1t dealt with the
League Of Nations and was in the
form of letter to f. NJ. Swartz Of
Los Angeles, written by Secretary Tu-
multy at President Wilson's direction.
The White House letter was in re-
ply to one to the president in which
Mr.. Swartz had declared the forces
supporting the Republican ticket were
contending 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.
The letter to Mr.. Swartz follows:
I'm reply to your letter of the Goth
of September, L 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. were placed before the
president while he was on his western
trip last year and fully answered by
him. The president directs me to call
your attention to the following ques-
tions and answers given by him to the
press at that time which l think sat-
lSIdCLOTllv dHS"CT yOuI Au4uloALACS.
The questions and answers are as fol-
lows:
"'Q.-Under the covenant does the
nation obligate itself to assist any
member Of the league in putting down
a rebellion of it's subjects or con-
quered people?'
"'A.-It does not
"'Q.-Under the covenant can this
nation Independently recognize gov
achieve or have achieved their inde-
pendence from member OF the
league?'
"'A.-The independent action of the
government of the United States In a
matter of this kind is in no way linn
tied or affected by the covenant Of the
League Of Nations
"'Q.-Under the covenant are those
subject nations or peoples only that
titled to the right Of self-determina-
ton. or does the league possess the
right to accord a similar privilege to
other subject nations or people?'
"'A.-It was not possible for the
peace conference to act with regard
to the self determination of any terri
tories except those which had be-
longed to the defeated empires, but
in the covenant Of the League of Ma
IlDUS IL UdS cou6AL AOi tAiS 10 o. sAA''S
| in Article xI a forum to which all
claims Of self-determination which
| are likely to disturb the: peace Of the
| world or the good understanding be-
tween nations upon which the peace
! Of the world depends can be brought,
| /. Y'Q.-Why was the csse Of ireland
not heard at the, peace conference
And what is@ your opinion~pn the stub.
feet yof self determination Of ireland !?
r. .st.A.-The case, Of Ireland was not
heard at the peace conference because
the peace conference had no jurisdic.
tion over any question of that sort
which did not affect territories which
belonged to the defeated empires. Ny
position on the subject of self-de-
| termination for Ireland is expressed
in Article xI of the covenant in which
may say I was particularly inter.
| ested, because it seemed to me neces.
sary for the peace and freedom of the
world that a forum should be created
| to which all peoples could bring any
matter which was likely to affect the
peace and freedom Of the world"