Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-08-26
INTERNATIONAL COMMANDERS FOR OUR
WAR FORCES.

The league of nations council in the recent meet
ing at Spa created international military staff to
control and direct the armies that the various mem
bers shall send when they called upon to fight
and any government. DO you see?
That plan originated with France, according to
the English. 1t would absolutely take from this
government the control of its forces called abroad
General Pershing if in command of our troops,
would have option but to obey the league military
staff. our naval commanders would also take or
ders from the league staff We would not simply
cooperate. We would obey.
And yet Cox and Roosevelt say that the constitu-
ton of the United States would remain in fun force
That staff Arrangement opposed by Presi-
dent Wilson at Paris, but has been revived and per-
fected by the council President Wilson has de-
manded of England to explain why this was done
without notice to the United States and has been
told to ask France, which fathered the scheme in
which the council joined, England's representative
included.
The answer maybe that this country has yet no
right to consideration because of non-membership.
But had we been represented the other powers would
have put the plan through just the same, because
they would have outvoted this country 1t would
generally be the case, for the neighborng nations
there have interests that call for cooperation
This country was fortunately not willing to be
led blndfolded into any arrangement that would
have caused army to be turned over for what
ever service the European general staff might order
even if we had n member of the staff.
General Pershing, it will be remembered, re-
fused to let his army be merged and made but
part of other forces But he would have his hands
tied with no option but to obey, under the European
scheme and even the president could not have om
army remain a unit or withdraw from the war if the
general staff said nay.
president Wilson never contemplated consent
to such an annexation. He ought now to be able to
see that we would have been obliged had we joined
the league Internationally and the majority had
established the general military staff to have charge
of all the forces and direct them.
ea 1t would be bad enough to have to send troops
abroad unwillingly under the contract with the
league, but decidedly calling to do knowing that
simply league forces. Congress and de-
partment could have no control. The president
s would not be commander in chief Of the United
States soldiers as the constitution provides.
The result would he to make the army in this
Country subject call and put it under foreign d-
rection when abroad 1t would create state of war
without any declaration by in favor of hos
tilities We would be asked pay the freight, and
failure by congress would be act of bad faith
I after the country had become of the league.
with our moral and legal obligations relied on by the
other members when they start anything by ma
ajority vote.
The further along the powers go over there the
evident it is that America was intended to be
but the tail to the kite.