Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-17
TAFT SPEAKS
ON League
Ex-President Gives Thor.
Ough Analysis of the Lea
que Of Nations in
Lecture.
FAVORS THE LEAGUE
Differs With Wilson on I'm
portance of Article
Ten.

1T has always seemed strange to
that the great nations of the world
should be called Christian nations
when they have been unable up to this
time to get together and arrange some.
means of settling their differences
other than by a resort to war;"
Thus making his position on a Lea
que of Nations Enthusiastically plain,
William Howard Taft, eX-president OF
the United States, continued in u thor
ough analysis of the League, it's reser-
vatiOns and amendments in his address
at the Methodist church Thursday
night.
1t was indeed, as declared by w. F.
Cole In his introduction, a most
suspicious closing for the Chamber of
Commerce lecture course, for it is not
often that Webster City people have
an opportunity to hear one of the
greatest statesman of the land in an
address upon one of the greatest sub
jects Of the time.
Taft is Il person and a personality,
and it may be said that his chuckle,
his contagious chuckle which usually
develops into Il hearty laugh when
contracted by his audience, is an i'm
portant part of his personality. He is
Il big, likeablc human being, and he
awes his audiences, talks
over them, nor yet beneath them. He
speaks with rare understanding and
with delightful wit and humOr.
Mr.. Taft is for Il League of Ma
lions, with or without reservations, and
in his analysis of the covenant brought
out the fact that many of the crucial"
differences between the two fOrties"
in the senate are mere differences over
words.
Il differ radically and utterly with
the position of President Wilson which
is that unless we bind ourselves under
article 10, although the other countries
don't ask us to, we destroy the effect
OF the League and, therefore, it should
be killed The president is the author
of that article. He made it one of his
fourteen points and he has that pride
OF authorship in it, but there are three
great steps equally as important, in
deed, in some respects more important,
than this article 10. One is the limita-
ton of armament, another is the set
tlement of. disputes peaceably, and the
other is the universal boycott. Article
10 is important in it's warning effect +;
in it's operative and practical applica-
ton it is not so important. 1t does
not become operative until it appears
that the wal which has begun is a
war to steal territory or destroy in
Dependence
There are 9G votes in the senate, and
after the vote on the treaty had been
taken, 1G voted against it, 40 for the
League without reservations and 40 for
the League with reservations. The is
sue was then dead, it was tabled land
decently inferred, but in time it re-
vived, was resurrected" and discussed
again and similar reservations adopted
by u majority. When it came to a vote,
the treaty with the: reservations re-
ceived Il majority of the senate. vote
and came within seven of constituting
u twO-thirds majority.
Not Super-G Government.
This League is not a super govern
ment, Mr.. Taft declares. 1t is Il League
which proposes to avoid war. In order
to do so the members are to make in
dividual covenants that they will do
certain things; they will not go be-
You'd the limit Of armament: they will
not begin war on a dispute until 1t
has been submitted to Il court for
adjudication. Then there arc CO.
operative obligations by all the mem
bers of the League looking to the
penalizing of any nation that violates
one of these covenants. II IL nation be-
gins war in advance of submitting ITS
dispute to the court, the other nations
agree to unite in II boycott.
1t is not a government, and there
is no body constituted by the League
that has any affirmative power. The
two bodies are the council and the
assembly. and a description of these
bodies and their duties is characterize
ed by words, recommend advise"
and propose"
Four Steps.
ut proposes to avoid war by four
great steps:
First, by limitation of armament.
The present war came about chlefly
through the rae in armament etween
Germany and the other countries OF
continental Europe. 1t destroys the
offensive power OF nations ana keeps
them only with defensive power. Why
should we get excited about limitation
OF ornaments? We have never had
adequate armament eve to constitute
a reasonable national police force,
much less sufficient to constitute some
thing to defend us.
Second, Article 10, a mutual guar
antee by all the nations of the League
that they together, by force if needs I've.
will protect the territory and q
pendcncc of other members OF the
League. 1t is directed toward the pro
lection of the, weak nations against
piratical and robbing nations who
wish to use their power over the ma
lions less strong.
Third, an arrangement for setting
%pcaceably, differences between nations
and avoiding war. Every nation
agrees that when it has Il dispute with
another nation it will submit 1t to
arbitration or will allow it to go for
a recommendation of settlement TO the
council Or the assembly. Ii Will not
begin war on such Il dispute uhtll
three months after the award or rec
concentration of settlement is made.
Any nation which violates this cove
tnant shall be boycotteG. The other ma
tons of the League will withdraw all
intercourse of every kind, all trade OF
every kind, all commerce, VIII sell
them no food, commodities. ammuni-
ton or war equipment. 1t would para
1 - To- .atec