Omaha daily bee., 1920-09-22
Fears for
League Are
Borne Out
Council Operated Exactlya as
Supporters of Lodge Reser-
vations Predicted in Aland
Island Dispute.
Left to Future Meeting
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington Sept. 2l,-Farther in
formation received today OH the de-
cision of the league of nations to
attempt a settlement of the Aland
island dispute between Sweden and
Finland, widely hailed as demon
stration OF the efficacy of the cove
nant, discloses that the league coun-
Gil operated i'll exactly the manner
r feared by the supporters of the
lodge reservations.
Finland contended that the Aland
land dispute is a Finnish domestic
iot an international question and
that the league had no jurisdiction
herein, The league council reject
cd the Finnish contention, pro-
nounced the question international
and appointed commission to re-
port findings as the basis of fu-
ture league decision awarding the
islands to one nation or the other.
The council decision was based
on the provision of the covenant
that ''if the dispute between the
parties is claimed by one of them,
and is found by the council to arise
out of a matter which by interna-
tional law is solely within the do
mestic jurisdiction of that party,
the council shall so report, and shall
make no recommendation as to its
settlement"
Claim Guarantee Lacking.
American opponents of the VIII.
son covenant have contended that
..hterc is no guarantee therein the
council would pronounce ilnmigra-.
ton domestic question and refuse,
to take juris diction. for example of
the controversy between Japan and
the United States over the exclusion
Of Japanese from this country. To
avert the danger of the United
States being compelled to submit
such dispute to the league for
decision, one of the Lodge reserya-
tions provided that American hn-
, .nigration and other domestic ques-
tions should be exempt from the
jurisdiction of the league.
Filand, has furnished the first ex-
ample OF a nation being required to
submit to the league dispute re-
garded as purely domestic ques-
tion.
In this connection. the Republi-
can Publicity association called at
tention to the movement on foot in
Japan TO bring the immigration dis
pute with the United States before
the league. If Japan should take
this step, and the league should as
sumo jurisdiction. the United States
would be invited to become men,
Der OF the league for the purpose
of settling the dispute.
Big Question.
Suppose the United States should
accept the invitation and thereby as
sumo membership obligations" says
the association. Assume that we
, have temporary representation there
on. and the council is unable to ar
rive at unanimous report regard.
ing the dispute and the members OF
the league take action and render a
majority report which does not meet
with the sanction of the United
States. We are told by the league
Of nations, for example. that we may
no longer exercise our sovereign
rights to exclude Japanese immi.
grants. What then? The Pacific
coast states rise in righteous wrath
and repudiate the findings of the
league. Shall we support them OF
support Japan?
Shall we enforce the Judgment o
the league as against our own peo
y pie? In the present state OF ming
OF the Pacific coast states rha
might come perilouslv near melting
civil war. But how should we con
form our refusal to abide by tn,
Judgment of the league? By over
act? Then we shall be deemed te
have committed an act of wal
against all other members of th'
league And il we shut our doors tt
Japanese immigration, would we no
thereby create casus belli in which
the judges in the case. to make thei
Judgment good, might side will
Japan in the conflict thus provoked
Much the same situation woult
arise if we refused to accept the OBJ
legations of membership i'll tn
league for the purpose OF the dis
pute. except i'll this instance Japal
would undoubtedly be forewa me-
of the Judgment of the council o
the league, hence forearmed for tn
fray which might be precipitate'
by decision adverse to our inter
csts.
"Our recourse lies in serving no
tice on the world OF our unalterabl
opposition to foreign control of ou
domestic question. That notice cal
be most forcibly emphasized b.
stamping the miserable Wilson crea
ton into the muck of eeer1 stinl
oblivion. and i'll the accomplish nen
the Pacific coast states must assist
On the issue of the league Mr.. Co
and Mr.. Wilson are absolutely a