Evening star., 1927-06-02


lister Of foreign affairs, talked with a
newspaper man from America-that
is when the trouble began. He de-
clared that France loved America so
much that 1t was willing TO make a
treaty never TO whip us in any war
or words to that effect. Together.
the United States and France should
outlaw war"-again.
Minister BRAND overlooked the
conventionalities requiring important
diplomatic negotiations TO be for
warded through channels" just like
military correspondence. He went
right over the head of our Govern
ment and told his secret directly TO
the people, through the Associated
Press. Was he not surprised when
that reporter actually printed what
he had meant for a graceful gesture"
"a jolly-in talking to an American
Had he not forgotten to insist that
he should not be quoted? No re-
porter ever interviews the spokesman
of the White House nor the Secretary
of State without first swearing he
will not quote the speaker.
+ 4 x
The next thing which seems TO
have surprised Minister BRAND was
that not only did his gesture" show
up in type, but nobody in America
seemed to pay the least attention 10
it until its silence reverberated down
the halls of time and woke an echo
midst the shadows of Columbia Col
lege soaring its faculty into re-
sponse. Two professors, Messrs. Shot
well and Chamberlain. confess that
they were aroused into writing. not
a poem but model treaty" putting
into plain English and legal form
what they think NJ. BRAND meant
or what they think they meant
and what he would say right
to the face of Secretary Kellogg, or
even President Coolidge, if he met
them tete-a-tete.
u y y =
Lest this model treaty be given the
same cold and austere glare OF the
/ State Department as was NJ. BRAND 8
graceful gesture, and even of Congress
next December. its salient points
should now be disclosed.
Hardly anybody ever reads the pref
ace of a thrilling romance, but in
this case President Nicholas Murray
Butler wrote it, so it ought not be
left in innoCuous desuetude.
In the preface it is alleged that the
proposed treaty docs not interfere
in the least with any sovereign rights
of the United States or of any other
government, The Monroe
Doctrine, so far .as this treaty would
affect it, is stated in terms that are
in harmony with the most enlightened
of international treaties"
Est que c'est vrai, NJ. BRAND? Let
us investigate:
The treaty proposes: Article /
The United States of America and
the Republic of France mutually un-
dertake that they will in no case at
tack or invade each other or resort to
war against each other.
article 2-The stipulation In the
above article shall not, however, ap-
ply in the case Of
"(a) The exercise of the right OF
legitimate defense =.
"(b) Action by the United States of
America in pursuance OF its tradi'
tional policy with reference to the
American continents: Provided. that
the United States will use its best
endeavors to secure the submission TO
arbitration or conciliation of a dis
pute between an American and Il non-
American power"
X X x X
The Treaty of Versailles went fur
ther than that in recognizing the
Monroe Doctrine as a settled Ameri-
can policy, maintained for more than
a century, warning Europe against
any meddling with American affairs.
That does not say except through
arbitration" controlled by European
representatives. 1t says plainly,
Hands off! The United States will
repel all invaders of American terri
tory. American continents for Amerj-
cans.'
Now Columbia College wants It
modified into America for European
exploiters, backed by European ar
bitrators."
In the Versailles Treaty, Article 81,
is this language:
Nothing in the covenant shall be
deemed to affect the validity of inter-
national engagements, such as treaties
of arbitration or regional understand
ing. like the Monroe Doctrine, for Sc
curing the maintenance of peace"
In case of repetition of a Maxi
milan usurpation of an American
throne by a coalition of France and
Austria ct al, which provision will
be the safer as an ouster-the Ver-
sailles Treaty or the Columbia College
proposal; to insist on European ar
bitration as to whether MaXimilian
shall be supported in his usurpation.
or be ordered out by a Gen. Grant on
the Rio Grande? President Monroe
did not open arguments with the
world as to his doctrine; he simply
declared it. America backs it, without
apology,
Article s provides that disputes
shall be submitted either to the Per.
manent Court of Arbitration-The
Hague--or toe the Permanent Court
of Justice, the alleged creature of the
League of Nations, which latter couyt
has been rejected emphatically by the
United States Senate.
Prof. Shotwell, who is co-author of
this model treaty" explains it's other
limitations in the following paragraph
worthy of study:
He says:
while this text has been prepared
so as to apply to civilized states, it is
perhaps necessary to say frankly
that q treaty of this kind will hardly
be found suitable for application with
nations which have widely different
conceptions of political institutions
and varying degrees of political de-
velopment. The remuneration of war
as an instrument of policy should
not be made so all-inclusive as to pre-
vent civilized powers from measures
80 ~ tntarwat{aual vN0Iin. ,.rHn~ nar