Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 221, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1920 — WOMEN IN POLITICS [ARTICLE]

WOMEN IN POLITICS

(By Mrs. Joseph B. KeaHng.) It seems to me that the way Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood characterized the Wilson league is about the best I have found, when he said: “The League of Nations is an American child bom while its parents were temporarily residing abroad. It got its first lessons from its foreign nurses, the English, the French, the Italians and the Japanese. Then its parents brought the childto America, but the Amaricans refused to admit it into the family until it could speak the language of the Declaration of Independence and the constitution of the United States.” As the campaign progresses it becomes obvious that the important issues are the League of Nations, economic and industrial conditions at home and the personal standing and character of the leading candidates. Our women voters ought to understand in a definite and specific manner these issues. The Republicans welcome an intelligent discussion of the League of Nations. Let us be specific. Let us see briefly what the league is and what the positions of the two parties are with reference to it. Mr. Wilson’s league consists of a council which is to have nine members, seven of which are to be Europeans, including one oriental nation, which body is the upper body of the league. The lower body is called the assembly, and the smaller nations have representation in it, but England gets six votes in the lower body to, one for any other country, including the United States. . < , Article X Troublesome. President Wilson states that the heart of the league covenant is found in Art. X. He has further stated that Art. 10 must be accepted without reservations. Since the great controversy between the President and the United States Senate has been waged around this article, I shall here quote the articlorin full: “The members of the league undertake and respect and preserve against external aggression, the territorial integrity apd existing political -independence of all members of the league. In any case of and such aggression or in any case of any threat Of danger of such aggression, the council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled.” You will here notice, according to Art. 10, that in all cases of aggression the council shall advise upon the means to be used “to bring about the fulfillment of this obligation.” The council referred to in Art. 10 is really the executive committee of the league. All matters which may be referred to the league for decision are first placed in the hands of the council. Any decision rendered by the council, if not - satisfactory to the interested nations, may be referred to the entire league for a final decision and the verdict of the league becomes binding upon the contesting parties. Nations whose interests are involved, dp not vote. . ~ The council will be composed of nine members representing nine different nations. According to. program as now outlined, the council will be composed of representatives of six empires or autocracies and three republics or democracies arranged as follows: Europe will have six votes; South America (Brazil) will have one vote- Japan one vote; and the United States of America one vote. Thus it can be seen that if the present arrangement stands, Europe will always have a majority vote in the council, and you can rest assured that on all matters of difference which may arise between the United States and Europe, the European nations will stand as a unit against the United States.

.Autocratic Votes Control. In all matters requiring a decision by the council, there will always be six autocratic votes against three democratic votes. The autocracies by a ratio of two to one. I can not bring myself to believe that the American people have forgotten bow, when we entered the war, Mr. Wilson declared we were fighting to make the world safe for democracy, and now that the «war is over, our-President is bending his influence to perpetuate autocracy throughout the world by insisting upon the adoption, without reservation, of the proposed league covenant. He may advocate a covenant favorable to the perpetuation of autocracy, but I prefer a better covenant—the constitution of the United States bf America. If Mr. Wilson’s statement that no action can be taken without a unanimous vote is true, the United States' will forever be placed in a false position before the world—that of a constant objector—a disbe held responsible for the continuance of every old-world conIt is true that the council’s de--1 * X Sum .4 11 ii ■ । ■■mt j~l ram iWIT. ITI ’ finally a ?bferred er to lß the league itsel, England would have her six votes while the United States would Ift. U Witaon has further stated ' ■ '' 5 .g - J." , -

that the interested parties to any controversy would not have a vote in deciding that controversy. This means then, that in a disput in which the United States is ed, our country would not have a, Vote, ahd the remaining nations—European, nations, which do not have the American point of view—would pass upon the question about which we were xrtally concerned. Now let us suppose that a con-' troversy should anse in the future between Japan and the United States, and such a supposition to not an improbable one. And supposing furthermore that such a controversy should be carried from the council up to the league for a final decision. In that league the United States ’would have no voice —Japan "would have no voice. But England would have her six votes,; perhaps to cast on the side of Japan to whom she is bound by secret treaties. ' Would Americanise League. “ The Republicans in the Senate said that the league should not pass upon our domestic problems, and declared that bur domestic probfems are solely within the jurisdiction of the United States. The Republicans in the Senate declared further, that the Monroe Doctrine must be interpreted by Americans, and that it was beyond the jurisdiction of the League of Nations. The Republicans in the Senate did not condone the action of the league in the infamous action of stealing Shantung from China, and giving it to Japan. The Republicans in the Senate forbade the league to involve the United States in debt, unless Congress in a constitutional and legal way, passed on the expenditure and provided the necessary money. The Republicans in the Senate further declared that the league would have to be changed so that the United States would cast as ■many votes as any other nation. Could any American accept less? These are some of the more important positions taken by the Republicans. Are they not reasonable? Are they not necessary? Who among us calling ourselves Americans could object to a single one of them? Mr. Wilson says that the League of Nations must be adopted without a single change. Mr. Cox openly accept Mr. Wilson’s position. A vote for Mr. Cox means that all these reasonable and American proposals set out above are to be rejected and abandoned. Favor* Real Peace Prograta. In opposition to the Wilson-Cox uh-American and unpatriotic league, we have the assurance of Senator Harding that his first task will be to work out a league, or world eburt, founded upon reason and law, with a fqll-protection to America’s nationality. Our women are genuine Americans, favoring world peace and at the same time devoted to America and her welfare. They will hot be stampeded into a league which sends our boys to Europe without giving our Congress, and through Congress our people a right to be heard. Peace, to be endur-

ong, must be baaed upon right and justice, not upon European polities nor! Upon the intrigue of European rules. The Harding plan being based upon right and reason will live and is constructive. The Wil-son-Cox plan being based upon force and being controlled by Europeans is un-American and can not be accepted. Lincoln’. WMasn. Abraham Lincoln said: “The provision of our constitution giving the war-tnaking power to Congress was dictated, .as I understand it, by the following reasons: Kings had always been involving and impoverishing people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This our constitutional convention understood to be' the mosit oppressive of all kingly oppressions, and they resolved to so frame the constitution that no ope man would hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.” Republican senators adopted a reservation to preserve this power to declare war to Congress. Shall we follow Liffcoln or Wilson and Cox? Harding’. Position. The Republican party stands for agreement among the nations of the world, and Mr. Harding has definitely stated that he will bring about such an agreement—“for effective -peace, as quickly as a Republican Congress can pass its declaratibn Tor a Republican executive to sign.” Can we ask anything better than this? We believe that such an international association must be based upon international justice, and miist provide methods which Shall maintain the rule of public Tight by the development of law fend the decision of impartial Courts, .and Which shall secure instant and general international dorifertence whenever peace shall be threatened by political action, so that the nations may exercise their influence and pbwer for the prevention of war, and insist upon what is juSt and fair. We firmly believe all this can be done without the compromise of national independence, without depriving the people of the United States in advance of the right to determine for themselves, what is jdst fend fair when the occasion arises, and without involving them as participants and not as peacemakers in a multitude of quarrels, the merits of which they are unable to judge. Want Stamp oS U. S. A. President Wilson clearly stated the requirement of America under Art. 10. Routnania and Servia became worried during the peace conference, and they, as well as all other European nations, were assured of the protection of American, soldiers under the League of Nations. To them the President said; ‘.‘lf the wolrd should be troubled again, if the conditions which we all regard as fundamental are challenged, the guarantee which Will be given to 'you (in the League of Nations covenant) will pledge that the United States will send its army and 'fleet across the ocean.” Nothing could be dearer than this. President Wilson himself says our boys and our wealth are at the

disposal of European governments to insure their perpetuation. Jn short, the Republican party stands firmly opposed to the WilsonCbx » league, but just as firmly in favor of a league that will bear the stamp of the U. S. A.