AMERICA AND THE LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17271, 22 September 1919, Page 7

AMERICA AND THE LEAGUE.

SHARE IN OBLIGATIONS. ADVOCACY BY MR. WILSON. RIGHTS OF SMALL NATIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association— (Received 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. "WASHINGTON. Sept. 20. In a speech at San Diego, California, Mr. Woodrow Wilson said that unless the United States accepted the same obligations as other nations it would be a mockery for her toenter the League of Nations. The United States supported the claims of Panama and Cuba to a vote on the league council under the protection of the United States, but. the combined votes of Britain and her colonies made effective the single vote of the United States. It would be a delusion to think otherwise. The council was largely a debating body, and it would have been unjust to give votes to small independent nations therein and exclude such great Dominions as Canada. AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY. NO MENACE OR LIMITATION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. 20. The Secretary of State, Mr. R. Lansing, speaking at Watertown, in the State of New York, advocated ratification of the treaty without delay and without change. There was nothing in the treaty invading American sovereignty, and nothing limited the full exercise of such sovereignty.

Mr. Lansing said that until the Senate consented to the ratification of the treaty the economic life of the world would continue stagnant and in a wretched state of uncertainty. The objections made to certffcn provisions were trivial compared to the imperative need of peace. OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN. POPULAR VERDICT CLAIMED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 20. Mr. Wadsworth, in the course of the debate in the Senate on the question of ratifying the peace treaty, said that for 130 years Americans had lived isolated from European intrigues. Under article 10 of the Covenant of the League of Nations the United States would be obliged for all time to send its children to fight and defend foreign territory and to maintain the status of 1919. If article 10 had existed during the revolutionary war, when France came to America's aid, every nation of Europe vould have combined against her, and there never would have been a free America.

Mr. Johnston, a member of the Senate, speaking at St. Paul, Minnesota, said the League of Nations was merely a gigantic war trust, and meant that American boys would be obliged to police the world and uphold tottering nations by American blood and bone. It would allow European and Japanese nations to drag Americans into their quarrels. The League of Nations meant the end of American idealism and the triumph of cynical old world diplomacy.

In a speech at Duluth, Minnesota, Mr. Johnson said public sentiment was against the league assuming the proportions of a revolution. If ratification of the treaty were delayed 60 days in order to permit the people to express their opinion, he was positive the terms of the league would be defeated. SENATE'S RESERVATIONS. DESTRUCTIVE TO LEAGUE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 20. The London correspondent of the Chicago News interviewed Lord Northcliffe, whe said the Senate's reservations regarding the covenant of the League of Nations would exclude the United States from the league, which would thus be destroyed. The treaty did not entirely satisfy Britain, but it set humanity on the path to reconstruction, which was the most important thing now. War would come again unless the league existed. No country would surrender its sovereignty under the league. RATIFICATION EXPECTED. ONLY MILD RESERVATIONS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. 20. The Vice-President of the United States, Mr. T. R. Marshall, who is ex officio President of the Senate, interviewed at Atlantic City, said he did not doubt the treaty would be ratified by the Senate. The change would be only mild reservations embracing Mr. Wilson's explanations.