Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-28
Denies America Obligated to
Help Crush Rebel|ions
Within Nations.
INDEPENDENT ACTION
HELD NEVER LIMITED
Letter Tells Why Case Of Ireland
Was Not Recognized at Paris
Peace Conference.

The first PUBIC ooSuthehe III 'ho
present presidential campaign to be
issued at the White House was made
public today. 1t dealt with the league
of nations, and was in the form of a
letter to E. NJ. Swartz of Los Angeles,
written by Secretary Tumulty at
President Wilson's direction.
The White House letter was in re-
ply to one to the President in which
Mr.. Swartz had declared the 1orces
supporting the republican ticket We're
league covenant was ratlheo the
United States would be bound to sup
port England in holding Ireland under
subsection"
Text of the Letter.
The letter to Mr.. Swartz follows:
I'm reply to your letter of Septem-
Der 20. beg to say that the Identical
questions contained in your letter.
with reference to article X and the
right of self determination, found in
the covenant of the league of nations,
were placed before the President
while he was on his western trip last
The President directs me to call
your attention to the following ques-
tions and answers given by him to
the press at that time, which. l tnlnk,
satisfactorily answer your inquiries.
The questions and answers are as fol-
lows:
%. Under the covenant does the
nation obligate itself to assist any
member of the league in putting down
a rebellion of it's subjects or conquer
ed peoples?
"A. 1t does not.
Independence Assumed.
%. Under the covenant can this ma
nd rncnOnIZa
ernment whose people seek to achieve
or have achieved their Independence
from a member of the league?
"a. The Independent action of the
government of the United States in
matter Of this kind is in no way linn.
tied or affected by the covenant of
the league of nations.
20 Under the covenant are those
object nations or people only that
re mentioned in the peace treaty en-
Ned to the right of self-determina-
on or does the league possess the
Eight to accord similar privilege to
other subject nations or people?
"A 1t was not possible for the peace
conference to act with regard to the
self-determination of any territories
except those which had belonged to
the defeated empires, but in the
covenant of the league of nations 1t
has set up for the first time in article
nj, forum to which all claims of
to disturb the peace of the world or
the good understanding between ma
tions upon which the peace of the
world depends can be brought.
%. Why was the case of Ireland
not heard at the peace conference?
And what is your position on the sub
ject of self-determination of Ireland?
"A The case of Ireland was not
heard at the peace conference because
the peace conference had no jurisdic-
tion over any question of that sort
which did not affect territories which
belonged to the defeated empires. My
position on the subject of self-de-
Termination for Ireland is expressed
in Article XI of the covenant. in which
] may say 1 was particularly inter-
: ested because it seemed to me neees-
sary for the peace and freedom of the
world that a forum should be created
to which all peoples could bring any
matter which was likely to affect the
peace and freedom of the world"