Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1919 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Conntry. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Localities* ARTICLE TEN OF COVENANT Would Forbid Wars of Aggression in the Future. Washington, D. C. —The most noteworthy bugaboo used by opponents of the league of nations to scare the people—aritcle X of the covenant —was proved a straw man by Claude Swanson of Virginia in his keynote speech opening the real fight in the senate for President Wilson’s world peace program. Carefully analyzing every provision in the famous document, Senator Swanson closed with this tribute to the united work of the best minds of 22 nations of the world: .

“It is one of the world's greatest documents, marking the beginning of a new and better order in world affairs, separating a past dark with war and strife, from the sunlight of a future bright with peace and international co-operation and conciliation. Out of the Revolutionary war, by American valor and sacrifice, emerged the Declaration of Independence and the constitution of the United States, the two most precious parchments yet conceived by human mind. The constitution when proposed was assailed with virulence and encountered prophecies of dreadful calamities to follow its adoption exceeding anything that has been directed against the covenant. ( AfThe pathway of our duty is plain. We should neither hesitate nor halt, but firmly align ourselves with the forces that are working for world betterment. With strong «rms and brave hearts let us faith-

fully discharge our responsibilities the world’s greatest power and 'earlessly face a future which beckons us to a greater glory and usefulness.’’ * Prefacing his -analysis, Senator Swanson pointed ojit that the 22 nations that framed the treaty represented nine-tenths of the world’s population of 1,500,000,000, that estimates are that 7,400,000 men were killed and 7,175,000 permanently disabled, and that the conclusion of the war finds the world burdened with a public debt aggregating $190,000,000,000, or ouethlrd op its total wealth. The majority of the world’s great wars “have been occasioned by a desire of conquest and to obtain additional territory,” said Senator Swanson, in discussing article X, and he summarized the chief objections as “Those of our countrymen who antagonize the league have directed against this provision their most persistent and unrelenting opposition. They have insisted that the assumption by us of this obligation would embroil us in interminable wars with all the attendant expense and danger. They have presented dire forebodings of United States troops being sent to every part of the globe to settle petty territorial quarrels. They contend that tn adopting this provision of the covenant the United States uses her great power, without any recompense whatever, to bring to other nations repose and security. “It should be noted that this is an obligation assumed, not by the league as an entirety, but by each member individually,” he continued. “Each member of the league undertakes, first, to respect the territorial integrity and existing vpolitical independence of all members. This is a solemn promise made by each member that it will never endeavor to by conquest or aggression any of the territory or possessions of any other member. In common parlance, we would agree not to rob any of our associates in the league and they would agree not to rob us. “If this league is consummated, as conitemjllated, It means immediately that four-fifths of the world, and eventually all the world, agrees

to cease from wars of conquest and despoilment If adhered to it would eliminate the causes which have produced most of the wars of the past. If observed, there is not a member of the league, great or small, that ever would have its Individual political existence threatened; and no more would the history of the world be encumbered with the frightful wreck of people and nations through lust of conquest. k “The second obligation assumed by each member of the league individually is to ’preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all members of the league.* This is a natural corollary from the first. In the former we undertake not to rob our associates ourselves, and in this we agree not to permit others to do so; each associate assuming a like obligation to us.” There have been claims that under the league as proposed American soldiers could be drafted for the quelling of rebellions in other countries. Senator Swanson conclusively disproved this assertion by saying: “It should be noted that this guarantee of territorial integrity and political Independence is limited to those cases where they are threatened or attacked by external

aggression, and does not apply to revolution within a nation. A nation's internal affairs are left undisturbed. A nation can reform, modify, or change its existing government according to the wishes of the people. If necessary to accomplish these purposes, force can be used. A nation may separate and divide into severe units, as her people may determine, provided no external force is applied." The maintenance of the Monroe doctrine by the United States when it was a comparatively weak nation showed, the senator said, that the league of nations could usually enforce its decrees without resort to arms for "reckless, Indeed, would be that nation which would Issue a challenge of defiance to so powerful a league and embark upon the venturesome enterprise of conquest." As the council must unanimously decide the matter of larger nations acting as mandatories for weaker members of the league, there was no foundation for the hysterical claims that the United States troops must patrol variola out-of-the-way and barbarous countries, he said.