The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-10-14
CHANGES IN LEAGUE
NOT EASY TO MAKE
Unanimous Vote of Council
Would Be Necessary
for Change

WASHINGTON. Oct. 14.-Exposiag
receptions of the League OF Nations
Association, the Republican Publicity
Association. through its president
Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr.. issues the
following:
"A League of Nations Association CO.
operating with Democratic candidates
has issued bulletin which undertakes
to defend the League OF Nations Cow
enant by telling what It does not do.
Among other things the bulletin says:
The League of Nations is not
Interchangeable. Its Constitution
may be readily amended and
doubtless will be as occasion de-
mands. ANY nation may with
draw from the League by giving
two years notice
The provision OF the League Cove
nant itself regarding amendments de-
clares:
Amendments to this Covenant
Will take effect when ratified by
the members OF the League whose
representatives compose the Coun-
Gil and by majority of the mem-s
bers of the League whose repre-
sentatives compose the Assembly,
This means that the vote OF the
Aountli must De unanimous and that
in addition there must be a majority
of the members of the Assembly favor
able to the amendment. That is tho
provision under which the League OF
Nations Association declares the Con-
stitution may be readily amended
Since the real purpose of the League
10 TO get the United States in a posi-
ton where II must bear the burdens of
the world IL will at once be manifest
that other nations represented in tne
Council would not consent to any
amendment which would relieve the
United States from obligations IL had
been induced to assume 1t would lie
readily possible to amend the League
Covenant by increasing the burdens
placed upon the United States but
there would be a prompt hitch in the
proceedings If there We're an attempt
10 relieve the United States from any
of its undertakings
The League of Nations Association
also asserts that Any nation may
withdraw from the League by giving
two years notice.
But that is not what the Covenant
provides. Article contains the fol-
lowing:
ANY member Of the League
may after two years notice of its
intention so to do, withdraw from
the League. provided that all its
international obligations and all
its obligations under this Covenant
shall have been fulfilled at the time
of its withdrawal
THE defenders of the League assert
that any nation may withdraw by CIV
ing two years notice, but fail TO add
the provision contained In the League |
Covenant This is a clear attempt to
deceive the people by emitting the |
most vital part of the quotation The |
condition is not that the nation desir- |
Ing to withdraw shall have fulfilled its !
obligations up to the lime OF giving |
notice, but up to the time OF its with !
drawal. which would be two years az |
ter the time OF giving notice.
If the United States as a member |
should find itself embarrassed and
should give the two years notice.
there would be a two years period |
during which those nations having
control OF the League Council and AS
sembly could add to the obligations OF |
drawai. except in a manner that would /
probably precipitate WARMTH the
United States on one side and the COM
bined strength OF the other League
members on the other. The attempt
of the League of Nations Association
TO mislead the voters by quoting only
a part of the section of the Covenant
relating to withdrawal serves 20 en-
phasize the vital Importance OF this
feature Of the Covenant"