The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-10-07

enant decides that American soldiers are to be sent
to Europe Asia Africa, France, or any other
members of the league, in case of refusal on our
part might very well say: The league expects
you to keep your contract; here is written agree
ment, bearing the signature OF 'The Honorable
Woodrow Wilson, president Of the United States,
acting in his own name and by his own proper
authority; be good enough to act promptly and
send your army and navy directed by the coun-
Gil. Refusal on our part would be ground for
declaring war against
The singular part of this situation is that Presi-
dent Wilson is presumably French scholar He
is historian, and at time was president of
Princeton university. It is hardly supposeable that
so learned person would have attached his name to
so important document as the League of Nations
covenant without knowing what he was signing.
If ignorant of the French language, the president
must out of the multitude of experts taken with
him to Versailles have had someone who could
read and translate French
If this singular difference between the English
and the French versions Of the league compact
occurred but it possibly might be attributed to
an oversight on the part Of Mr.. Wilson, "acting in
his own name and by his proper authority"
but the same thing occurs in Article 81 of the
proposed league, in such manner that it is most
convincing that the difference of language used
was by design rather than inadvertance. Article 81
of the league is as follows:
"Nothing in this covenant shall be deemed
/ to affect the validity of international engage
ments, such as treaties of arbitration or
REGIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS, LIKE THE
MONROE DOCTRINE, for securing the main
tenance Of peace"
The French version of Article 81 contains this
language:
"Nothing in the Monroe doctrine shall affect
the League of Nations"
T. 10 kno1u at all no at fho
peace table have no love for the Monroe doctrine
it is we'll known that the first draft Of the league
covenant contained reference whatever to the
Monroe doctrine, and that it was not until Mr.
Wilson was informed by members of the senate
that no League of Nations compact would evertb be
approved by it unless the Monroe doctrine were
safe-guarded that Mr.. Wilson inserted in his Eng
lish version Of the league:
''Nothng in this covenant shall be deemed
to affect REGIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS
like the Monroe doctrine"
At the same time there was inserted in the French
draft the provision that
"Nothing in the Monroe doctrine shall affect
the League of Nations"
1t is easy to see what the attitude of European
countries would be in case the Monroe doctrine
should be brought into question They might,
with proprety, say: Here is your written obliga-
ton, signed by your president, in the most explicit
terms, that nothing in the Monroe doctrine shall
affect the League of Nations.
Whether these differences in the French version
of the Wilson league the result of inadvertence,
whether they we're purposey placed there to give
the associated nations handle which to hang
interpretations that may later arise, they only
phasize the necessity Of the senates reservations
placing beyond question this nations attitude
the doctrine we have maintained during the last
hundred and forty years.