100 years ago in The Record
The league of nations proposed at the Paris peace conference faces growing opposition in the United States as critics point to provisions that could undermine American sovereignty. One week after Senator William E. Borah spoke out against the league in Troy, the Current Topic Club of the Y.M.C. A. brings another antileague congressman to the Collar City. Because Rep. Simon D. Fess of Ohio lacks Borah’s celebrity, tonight’s talk takes place at the Central Y.M.C.A. instead of the Music Hall. Fess’ audience may be smaller than Borah’s, but it’s just as enthusiastic. “Mr. Fess was forced to wait time and again while rounds of applause greeted certain remarks regarding one of the greatest problems ever faced by this country,” The Record reports, “His auditors literally hung on every word uttered by the speaker because of the deep thought and study exhibited in all his assertions.” A former president of Antioch College, Fess chairs the House Education Committee and the Republican National Congressional Committee. He tells Trojans that “I was prejudiced in favor of a league of nations when it was first broached and am yet. “But when the constitution was published and I had time to study it, I reached the conclusion that there are certain things in that constitution that must be changed.”
Fess’s main objection is to a proposed executive council comprised of representatives of nine leading powers. “We have one vote of the nine,” he notes, “and the council may consider anything that affects the peace of the world.
“Does the peace of the world clause effect our immigration laws, merchant marine, deportation of undesirable aliens, the Japanese question? Are we going to ask the council of nine who shall come to this country. I say never.”
While “No one has any greater admiration for Great Britain than I,” Fess is concerned that the league will favor British interests at America’s expense. He assumes that votes granted to British colonies, including the dominions of Australia and Canada, effectively give the British government six votes to one for the U.S.
Another provision of the constitution obliges league members to “maintain the territorial integrity of each member.” Fess interprets this to mean that the league could require the U.S. military to intervene should Canada or Australia declare independence from Britain.
Despite serious reservations, Fess wants some world commitment to prevent a renewal of German aggression. Despite Germany’s surrender, the former monarchy “tentatively and industrially is still intact” and “is a distinct danger to the future,” the congressman says.