The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-10-21
cox REPLIES TO
FALSE" CRITICISM
And Defends Article x of the League
of Nations at Whining
ton, Del.

Wilmington, Del, Oct. 2l.-A specia
drive against critics of article \ o.
the league of nations and against
false" criticism was made here to
day by Gov. Cox.
Nation wide propaganda of mis-.
representation, regarding article Y
has been circulated, he asserted. He
emphasized contentious that Congress
only, and not the league, had authority
to declare war and that the league
councils decisions must be unanimous
and were merely advisory.
I'VE should never, in the haze Of
wigglipg statements and wobbling
pronouncements,' he said, 'ose sight
of the mcontroyertible fact that under
article X the council can render only
not be taken unless and until every
representative, including our own,
votes in the affirmative.
One of the Hitchcock reservations
voted down by the treaty wreckers
declared that no American sovereignty
was relinquished.
Explaining the leagues operations,
Gov Cox said that conciliatisn or a
joint diplomatic note to all law-sbid-
ing nations in condemnation of any
offending nation, or severance of diplo-
matte relations or an economic boycott
would be employed before considera-
tion of more drastic measures Even
then he contended congressional ap.
proval would be required.
Not until every other method had
failed would there be any need for
ever considering drastic measures" he
continued But if it be contended
that a desperate crisis might arise,
such as that which threatened the
world in July, l0l4, then the council
would sit in special conference. If all
the representatives on the council were
agreed that to meet the situation it
was necessary to employ other means,
then it would be empowered to make
such recommendation. Our repre-.
sentatives would cable the facts OF
the case together with the unanimous
resolution of recommendation TO the
president, who in time, would lay
both the facts and the councils ad-
vice before the Congress, together with
his own recommendation Congress
would then determine its course of ac-
tion in the circumstances, precisely as
il does now"
Isolation, economic and otherwise,
for any nation, the governor argued,
should 90 a long way toward prevent
ing hostilities.
1T is extremely doubtful" he said,
"if any nation would have the temeri-
ty to fly in the face of outraged public
opinion of the whole world and it is
moral certainty that no nation would
be so foolhardy as to-try to live, let
alone carry on effective warfare, in
economic isolation.
Some may say that if the council
has no authority to order military
forces into the field in defense of the
covenant the peace of the world would
be no better secured with the league
than without it. Such an inference
would be entirely at variance with
experience. Earl Gray, at the time the
British secretary for foreign affairs,
said in 1914 that if in the critical days
Of July and August he could have got
the statesmen of tho great powers !
around a table in conference for nine |
days or nine hours, the World war
could have been averted."
The governor speaks this afternoon !
and tonight in the Baltimore conven-
tion hall, where President Wilson was
nominated eight years ago.