The evening herald., 1920-10-02


or again to conceal itH true nature
by arguing that 1t would not bind
the United States ieRaily, but only
morally This IS Mr.. wilson's favo-
rite defense.
{ 1T Is an attitude Of comradcship
and protection among the members OF
the League" he said to senate COM
mittee, (which In It's very nature Is
moral and not legal"
"A moral obligation" he explained
later. "ls OF course superior To
legal obligation, and n may say 30,
has n greater binding forcc; only
thcrc always pcmaliis In the moral
obligation the right TO exercise ones
Judgment ns to whether II Il indeed
incumbent upon one In those clrcum-
stances to do that thing"
Senator Knox cited a specific Yio-
lation OF article 10 and asked the
PRECEDENT:
would we be under any legal OBJ
legation to participated"
No sir" was the presidents re-
ply, but we would be under an abb
solutcly compelling moral obligation"
But no legal Obligation" added
Senator Knox.
Not as ! contemplate IT," answered
the president
Yet. after signing a defensive treaty
OF alliance with France. Mr.. Wilson
cablcd to his secretary at the white
house that he was thus merely hast
ening the action to which we should
be bound by ti.e Covenant OF the
League OF Nations"
MIR. Lodges Plain Words
This whole web Of silly sophistry
was torn aside by Senator Lodge In
few honest words
There is to me no distinction
whatever In n treaty between
what some persons are pleased
to call legal and moral obliga-
tions. No doubt. n great
power, impossible OF coercion.
can east aaidc a moral obligation
II II sees III and escape from the
performance OF the duty which
Il promises. The pathway OF dis
honor Is always open.
Tho broad fact remains that n
any member Of the league, suffer-
ing from external aggression,
shohld appeal directly to tho
United states for support, the
United States would he hound to
give that support In It's own cap
acity and without reference to the
action OF other powers because
the United States itself IN bound,
and l hope the day will never
come when the United States
Will not carry out it's promises.
II that day should come and the
United States or any other great
country should refuse. no matter
how BpeciOus the reasons, to ful-
fill both In letter and spirit every
obligation OF the covenant, the
United States would be dishonor-
ed and the league would crum-
BILE into dust, leaving behind IL
legacy Of wars. There
is no question that the presorva-
tion OF state against external
aggression can contemplate moth
ing but war.
The advocates OF article 10 again
cndenvOr to prove that under the
covenant there will be no war and
therefore no call to send American
men to bleed and die in distant lands.
when this treaty In accepted" said
Mr.. Wilson In Columbus, 'men In
khaki will not have to cross the seas
again" Yet, when asked by Senator
Brandesee, at white house confer
ence II tho lenKrc OF nations would
prevent war, Mr.. Wilson answered;
Nothing VIII Proven; War
II will not. Nothing will pre-
vent war. but 1t Will bring about
the discussion before the begin
ming Of war.
What else than war, under article
10, did Mr.. WILSON refer to whom by
treaty he agreed, In the name OF the
United States, ito come Immediately
to the assistance OF France In case OF
unprJvoked attack by Germany"
What else than war under article 10,
had he In mind when he telgraphed
TO America that he was thus merely
hnatening the action tn which we
/ should be bound by the League Of
| Nations?"
President Wilson clearly stated the
| duty Of America under Article 10.
Roumania and Servia became worried
during the peace conference, and
they. as well as AL other European
nations. were assured OF the prOtec-
/ tion OF american soldiers under the
league OF nations. To them the presl-
dent said;
III the world should be trouhl-
ed again, II tho conditions which
we all regard as fundamental are
challenged, the guarantee which
Will be given to you lin league OF
nations covenant) will pledge that
the United States will send its
army and fleet across the ocean,"
Nothing could be clearer than this.
President Wilson himself says our
boys and our wealth are at the dis
| posal of European governments "a
insure their perpetuation.
Not only does the Covenant fail to
| guarantee peace, hut article 10 of the
covenant absolutely assures war. TC
assert that the covenant means peace
is to assert flatly what Is not true;
to argue that II means peace, is
merely to use the pettifogging soph-
istries already refuted.
The league fas been organized. II
has twenty-nine member nations The
covenant is In force, Yet dozen wars
or more are In progress; at times, IA
many as twenty-threc wars have been
reported from day to day. Every
great power In the league is fighting
and many OF the smaller powers are
In battle array. 10 put the whoi'
world In the fielG there Is just one
thing lacking-the men and th'
monoy OF the United States.
IL The United States Were In Tn,
league Today
II today the United States were fair
ly bound to Europe, by article 10, o
the covenant, the bankrupt govern
ments OF Europe would be callinl
on us through the league to flgh
their battles with our American men
to relieve their treasures with on
American money. II is for this reas
on that Europe urges the Unite'