Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-10
ARTICLE X SCORED
BY SENATOR LODGE

AUGUSTA, Me, September 10 (by
the Associated Press).-An attack on
article Y of the covenant of the
league of nations was made in an
address here last night by Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts,. He charged
that President Wilson's purpose was
ito use the power of all national
members of the league to carry on
war" and added that "our fight is
against that conception OF the
lea que"
1--WE ought not to accept any cove
nant which in any way could be made
to carry out Mr.. Wilson's purposes.
Senator Lodge said. MIR. Wilson, 1t
is true, is not candidate, but we are
fighting wisconsin, which is system
of government alien to our Constltu-
ton and our traditions. and Gov. Cox
has promised that if elected he would
carry out Mr.. Wilson's promise ana
go into the league. Senator Harolns
has said that he would not go into the
league as presented by Mr.. wilson.
The issue is drawn and is so ciear
that no man can misunderstood II.
Called nm Individual Pledge.
Senator Lodge reiterated the charge
that 1.-The pledge in the first sentence
of article X is an individual pledge
of the United States to respect and
preserve as against external agrees
sion the territorial integrity and
existing political independence OF all
members of the league.
THE only allusion to the league IN
article k he said, lis in the second
sentence, and the operation OF the
Ieague is there confined to ADVISING
what share each of the nations should
| take in sustaining the guarantee.
"Unnnimity" Is Discussed.
But this is not all. A great deal is
made of the unanimity required on
most questions for action by the coun-
ell, and it is therefore argued that our
single vote will serve at Veto
| Theoretically that seems conclusive:
but in practice if we were represented
in the league it would be Impossible
to say what our representative. act
ing under the instructions of the
President alone. might commit us to.
Let me illustrate this to you by
calling your attention first to the fact
that Mr.. Lloyd George, replying to
deputation Of friends of the league,
said that nothing could be done by
the league to prevent. for example, an
attack of Russia upon Poland unless
we had an international force. that is,
a force under the command of the
league, and this league force. which
would be composed of soldiers of all
nations could be ordered into war.
Undoubtedly this is the underlying
conception OF at least the european
members of the league, and 1t is
very dangerous one.
Result Of Refusal.
TT would be extremely difficult for
us, if the league had an international
force for the preservation of the
worlds peace, 10 refuse to send our
contingent as determined by the
council and the assembly,. If we did re-
fuse the cry would go out that we
were false in spirit at least to the
league of which we had become a
member and, if this international
force was once established, as it prob
ably would be under the league, our
soldiers would then be sent under for
eign command and by the direction of
foreign powers to take part in for
eign wars We should be SO tangled
in the obligations which the league
imposes that we could not assert our
! constitutional rights without break
] ing moral obligations"