The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-11-15
INTERPRETING INTERFERE
TIERS, OR WHAT is THE
LEAGUE?

The halcyon and vociferous an
nouncement is made that the league
of nations is to have its covenant in
terpreted. The league itself. thru
its secretariate has selected a commits
sion of eight eminent jurists, from
eight of the nations represented in its
council, who are to null over that i'm
peccable instrument and determine
what it means.
This is good news to the world
which has long been wondering what
is the actual purport of the covenant;
all the more since several recent cases
of what looked like trimming and
lodging on the part of the league
itself, or like founting and defying
its authority by some of its members.
The manner of its achievement also
commands keen interest, since it
seems to be a clear case of lifting
ones self by the bootstraps. The
league itself is to interpret itself to
itself. That obviously makes it GER
tain that the Interpretation will be
satisfactory-to the league.
1t will be recalled, however. that at
its formation, the league itself was
proclaimed to be the universal inter
prefer. 1t was to interpret everything
that needed Interpretation for every
body that wanted anything interpre-
ted.
1t was to interpret international
law and all treaties.
1t was to interpret the Monroe Doc
trine for the United States and let us
know for the first time in hundred
years just how much-or, more prob
ably, how little-that document
meant.
1t was even to interpret the Con-
stitution Of the United States to us,
far better than Hamilton and Mar
shall and Story and Webster were
ever able, in their narrow national
ism, to do.
And yet now, early in its shining
career, it finds its own constitution,
the sacrOsanct covenant-to modify
which by so much as the dotting of
an So or the crossing Of a st" would
be rank sacrilege-to be in need of
radical Interpretation. Truly, it is a
good thing to have a sense of humOr.
1t is also to be observed that the
league thus purposes to do for itself
that which it would not let others do
for themselves. 1t revolted for ex-
ample, at the mere thought of Amer
ica's Interpreting the Monroe Doc
trine, or the Constitution of the Uni
ted States; or of two nations inter-
preting for themselves a treaty which
had been made between them.
All such matters must be submitted
to its supreme authority. No mere
nation could be its own Interpreter.
Yet it is to be itself the Interpreter
of its own covenant. Doubtless that
is because there is no other authority
in the world capable of doing the job.
Omniscience alone can divine omnis-
cience.
But not fearsome speculation in
trudes itself upon the mind Suppose
the Interpretation of the covenant
given by this octuple commission
proves to be lacking in clearness and
thus to need elucidatoin-to be itself
interpreted-wha is to be done?
Shall somebody else be appointed to
interpret the Interpretation? That
would seem to be logical. If the
league itself, which was to be the
worlds supreme interpretator,m must be
interpreted, what other and necessar-
lily lesser. thing can claim exemption
from the same process? 1t is al
ready agreed that the Interpreter
must be interpreted. Then the inter-
prefer that interpreted the interpre-
ter must be Interpreted and so on to
must be interpreted, and so on to the
the nth power Of Interpretation. 1t is a
lovely prospect.