Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-09-28

act or joint resolution so provide"
Article 10 of the league covenant is
so definitely anti-American, so spe-
cific in its pledge to involve us in
European wars, that il seems strange
to find that President Wilson not only
defended it, but boasted of ii as the
only article of the covenant which he
could identify as his exclusive con-
tribution. He would tolerate no sug-
gestiOn to weaken it, or even to de-
fine its obligations.
This article automatically exposed
us to the perils of every war between
nations anywhere in the world For
no such war is thinkable without in
volving external aggression" or 'po-
litical independence" 1t went furth-
er, By pledging us TO respect" as
well as protect" the territorial in
tegrity" and the political independ-
ence" of league members, it throttled
in advance any possibility that we
might ever recognize the independence
or the belligerency of any subject ma
tion that might be in revolt. Nor was
that all. "In case of such aggression
or in case of any threat or danger
of such aggression" it made it the
duty of the council of the league to
"advise" how this obligation shall
be fulfilled" by the United States.
In the face of this specific language
how weak were the pleas of the presi-
dent that Article 10 imposed only a
moral obligation and not legal one
or that the councils decisions had to
4 be unanimous instead of by a major
/ ity.
President Wilson proclaimed Arti-
Gle 10 to be the backbone of the cove
nant Repeatedly, he announced that
he would look upon a reservation
framed to limit its binding force upon
the United States, as equivalent to
the rejection of the treaty He would
brook no effort to safeguard Ameri-
can interests against embodiment in
foreign conflicts. In his testimony
before the senate committee, he sought
to soften the specific provisions of
the article by a declaration that the
obligation imposed upon the United
States to participate in such wars
was moral and not a legal obligation
"It is an attitude Of comradeship and
protection among the members of the
league" he said, (which in its very
nature is moral and not legal"
"a moral obligation" he explained
later, lis of course superior to a
legal obligation, and If may say so,
has a greater binding force; only
there always remains in the moral OBJ
legation the right to exercise ones
judgment as to whether it is indeed
incumbent upon one in those circum-
stances to do that thing"
Senator Knox cited a specific vio-
lation of Article 10 and asked the
president:
Would we be under any legal OBJ
legation to participated"
mo sir" was the presidents reply
'but we would be under an absolutely
compelling moral obligation"
But no legal obligation" asked
Senator Knox.
mot as I contemplate it," answered
the president.
'Yet in your message transmitting
the Franco-American treaty, May
TO-" added Senator Knox, you SAID
that it is only binding us to do i'm
mediately what we otherwise would
have been bound to do under the
league of nations"
"I did not use the word bound bu
morally bound" explained the presi
dent.
But a later search of the record.
revealed nothing of the kind. Th'
cablegram from the president to sec
.. retary Tumulty printed May 10, read
81 have promised to propose to thu
senate a supplement in which we shall
agree, subject to the approval OF th
council of the league of nations, Il
come Immediately to the assistance
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