Evening star., 1944-09-06
World Force Sharing
BY y. S. Seen Assured

by u. ,. Seen assured
Attitude Of Leaders in Congress
Called Wise BY Lawrence
By David Laurence
The international Security League.
which Is to endeavor to preserve peacs
after this war, will not be wrecked On
the same rock that prevented Ameri.
can participation In the League u Ma
tions.
This seems assured already because Of
the wise and statesmanlike attituoe
being taken by most Republican and
Democratic leaders In Congress In pene-
trating the resl issue involved under our
constitutional procedure when American
armed forces are TO be employed.
Senator vGndenburs, Republican, Of
Michigan rightly has stated that the
Instructions given to the American dele
gate or Ambassador sitting on the Execu-
tive Council Of the International Be-
curity League is matter that concerns
only the internal operations Of our own
Government. The manner and method
by which such an ambassador IL in
structed to vote in given contingency
is something that must conform to
American custom and procedure and
has nothing to do with the provisions Of
any, treaty.
The Republican mistake after the
World War was in trying to write into
the treaty covering the Covenant Of the
League Of Nations q reservation speci-
flying that America would not use her
armed forces and would undertake no
obligations except with the consent of
Congress. The debate at that time CEN
tered not on how the United States
could fulfill its obligations once under
taken, but on whether a provision ap-
parently nullifying the obligation should
actually be included in the Covenant.
Real Problem Stated.
There would be no difficulty at all If
the use Of force were to be confined to
those instances in which, as in the past.
the President of the United States
ordered the Army and Navy to repel
attack or protect our nationals. Little
doubt exists that the President can act
to repel invasion or an attack on points
In Central or South America without
asking Congress for authority. But the
real problem arises when there Is q
dispute, for example. between Romania
and Hungary, in which the United
States is not directly concerned. The
question then Is would the President
have the authority to order our Army
and Navy and air forces to the scene of
such action?
The preferable way to accomplish the
desired result-namely to employ what
ever forces are necessary to preserve
peace-is to ratify the treaty in which
the United States undertakes an obh-
CATION to preserve world peace and then
have a separate declaration publicly
made by the President Of the United
States, and perhaps concurred in by
both houses Of Congress, outlining for
future years the procedure that shall
be adopted in instructing our ambas-
sador to the council of the international
security organization.
There are some persons who are ar
| guing that in a world crisis such a pro-
cedure In asking Congress for authority
would be dilatory. On the contrary, a
vtgilant President would not wait until
. crisis had developed to an acute stage
before seeking to learn from Congress
how our ambassador should be In
structed to vote when the peace of the
world IS threatened. -
Thus, going back over the period of
1888 to 1899. while Hitler was in power
IN Europe, 1t Is evident that there were
many occasions when the peace of the
world was threatened and when the
President of the United States could
have asked for authority to use the
forces Of this country In conjunction
with the forces of other countries to
put down any threats to world peace.
Example Of 1896.
In 1886, for example, when Hitler was
very weak and yet marched into the
Rhineland, If England, Russia. China
and the United States had acted In
unison, Hitler could have been expelled
from the Rhineland and he would have
been informed that these foux nations
intended to use their forces TO cancel
this act Of aggression.
! If, Of course. the Congress of the
United States should become unwilling
at any time to fulfill thu obligation
AYnlieitlv sss,,yned ,,pder tha trsety
/ namely, to preserve peace by joint ac-
tion, 1t would be only because American
public opinion was ready to repudiate
the treaty. Any treaty Is subject to
denunciation by the President or Con-
| gress at any time.
Such contingency could, of course,
arise, but no action of any President
or Congress can be foreclosed in advance
and all that can be outlined now is
the procedure which will make it possible
for . President of the United States
long In advance Of . crisis to appeal to
Congress and get authority to use armed
forces in the event that some incipient
act Of aggression should, in the opinion
Of the Executive Council of the league,
appear to be Of such a nature as likely
to cause . widespread connagration.
(ssproduetion Rishts Reserved4)
For the Thousondth Time