The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-09-29
AN u,rorIE11cAb QUESTION

roadcr signing himself voter writes The
World the following hypothetical question:
As a voter FOR my information and guild
ance | would Ike the following question
answcrcd In your paper;
II the lengue OF nations fupctioning
as at present written and the United states
was member OF It and Russia attacked
Poland and captured Warsaw; II Poland
called on the league to protect her boun-
dares against aggression by n non-membor
nation ana In order to do THE the council
unanimously decided that armed assistance
necessary and called on the members
Of the league to furnish their quota OF
armed men TO drive the Russians from
Poland. also deciding that all armies should
be under one command ana dcalgnntod Eng
land ns tho directing head Of operations
In order that the United States fulfll its
treaty obligations, would IL not be be noCeH-
sary for an American army to be sent to
fight for foreign cause ON foreign ter.
ritory undor n foreign commander And
would not the single United States rep
rcsentauve ON the council OF the league Of
nations virtually declare war for the United
States overriding the constitution OF the
United States inaofar az the power to do
clare war Ia delegated to congress by that
instrument
ia there anything IN the draft OF the
league OF nations that would prevent the
happening OF the facts az above stated? 1
do not mean probability but possibility.
Under tho conditions described tho oonse-
quencos stated not only might follow but would
Inevitably follow.
Congress having given its assent TO the
United states becoming a party to the league
would n matter OF morality and honor be
bound by the decisions OF the league. The one
representative OF the United States, member Of
the council or assembly, having voted to oom-
nit the league TO n certain line of action, would
OF necessity appear as Overriding" the congress
In the matter OF committing this nation to "A
war; but congress would also be under the shocr
necessity OF performing such constitutional acts
as might be necessary in order TO enable the
nation 60 meet the commitments OF tho league
whether those commitments called for an OK
pediuonary force OF men or a huge loan of
money or both.
This. we think will not be even technically
dened by league proponents. For the prcsl-
dent, when comforting with memLera OF tho
senate at tho time the peace treaty was pend.
ing In the senate admitted that II the United
States should become a member of the league
IL would be In honor bound TO carry out any
assignments the league might give 1t.
The point has Just received rather voxlng
demonstration, II will be recalled that tho
last congress enacted a new shipping act one
provision OF which requires the president To
annul existing trade treaties with various ma
tons in order that new treaties in limo with
the new act might be made. The president
has Just allowed the time limit In which he wac
siven to perform this ministerial duty to olapse
without carrying out tho mandatory orders OF
the congress.
lio thus appears In the light OF refusing tc
obey the congress, his reason being that thC
congress Ia without authority 60 violate anS
treaty entered into with foreign nation. L
would naturally follow that II we wero party
TO the league covenant the most comprehen,
sve and complex treaty ever devised Il woulC
be Mr.. Wilson's view that tho provisions o
that covenant and the findings OF It's govern
Ing board, would stand above the constitution
OF the republic,
There can be no doubt about H.