The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 17, 1921, Page 10

~ - Ladd Proposes People Pass on Wars " Nonpartisan Senator Introduces Resolutions in United States Senate to Prevent Government Forcing People Into Armed Conflict Against Their Will ¢ S ENATOR E. F. LADD of North Da- kota, Nonpartisan leaguer, has intro- duced two resolutions in the United States senate which, if passed, would cause a declaration of war by the United States against a foreign power to be held up until the people could express them- selves in a referendum as to whether they wanted war. One of the resolutions would bind the senate not to declare war without a referendum, even be- fore the United States Constitution could be amended to make a referendum compulsory, and the other resolution, a joint one which would have to be passed by the house as well as the senate, proposes to the states a constitutional amendment making a referendum on war compulsory, except in cases of invasion of the country when time would not Permit an expression by the people. Probably every reader of the Leader will agree that Senator Ladd’s proposal, if carried out, would make unjust and unnecessary wars impossible. Even if the coming disarmament conference of the powers, brought about by Senator Borah’s resolu- tion, is successful, a constitutional amendment such as Ladd’s is needed. America should be the first to adopt the principle, and should use her in- fluence to get every nation to adopt it. The two resolutions follow: Whereas, there is no question touching the life and welfare of the people of the United States of such importance as the making of peaceful relations with other governments; and Whereas, the right of the people to a voice in the settlement of all questions of even less importance is asserted in the Declaration of Inde- pendence and guaranteed by the Constitution; therefore be it Resolved, that it is the sense of the senate that no declaration of war by congress and no act of war by the executive branch of the gov- ernment of the United States shall be taken except to suppress insur- rection or repel invasion as pro- vided for by the Constitution of the United States until the question at issue shall be submitted to a refer- endum of the voters of the United States. JOINT RESOLUTION AMENDS CONSTITUTION Resolved, by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America, in congress as- sembled, two-thirds of each house concurring therein), that the follow- ing be proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states, shall be valid as part of said " Constitution, namely: “ARTICLE — “Section 1. Except in case of in- vasion or when the danger is so im- minent as not to admit of delay, the congress shall not exercise the power to declare war until such " question shall have been submitted to a veote of the qualified electors in the United States. “Sec. 2. The president shall have the power, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to enter into treaties with foreign powers, agreeing that neither of the con- tracting parties will declare or levy war against the other until the question of declaring or levying war shall have been submitted to the qualified electors of the country pro- posing the same and shall have been approved by a majority thereof. Treaties' made in pursuance of this section shall be binding upon the government - of the United States and all the departments and offices - = =3 Z thereof, so long as observed in good faith by the other signatory power. “Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of congress to provide by appropriate legislation for carrying into effect the provisions of this, article.” Why a War Referendum? Farmer Senator Gives Reasons for Intro- duction of Resolutions on Subject BY E. F. LADD, UNITED STATES SENATOR On December 12, 1916, nearly two years and a half after-the World war had begun and but four short months before we entered it, President Wil- son declared in a note: to the belligerent powers that he didn’t know whkat the war was about nor did any one else, even the-belligerents themselves. He wrote the following note to the powers at that time: “The life of the entire world has been profoundly affected. Every part of the great family of man- kind has felt the burden of the unprecedented con- test of arms. No nation in the civilized world can be said in truth to stand eutside its influence or be safe against its disturbing effects. And yet the concrete objects for which it is being waged have never been deflnitely stated. “The leaders of the several belligerents have, as has been said, stated those objects in general terms. But stated in general terms, they seem the same on both sides. Never yet have the authorita- IR ANERRNRRR = LA \ A\ RN \®~“‘m\“ Nk \ W W tive spokesmen of either side avowed the precise objects which would, if attained, satisfy them and their people that the war had been fought out. The world has been left to conjecture what defini- tive results, what actual exchange of guarantees, what political or territorial. changes or readjust- ments, what stage of military success, ever would bring the war to an end.” . In an address at St. Louis September 5; 1919, President Wilson said: N ‘ »“Why, my fellow citizens, is there any man here or any woman, let me say is there any child here, who does not know that the seed of war in the mod- ern world is industrial and commercial rivalry? The real reason that the war that we have just fin- ished took place was that Germany was afraid her commercial rivals were going to get the better of- her, and the reason why some nations went into the war against Germany was that they thought Germany would get the commercial advantage of them. The seed of jealousy, the seed of the deep- seated hatred was hot, successful commercial and industrial rivalry.” On the preceding day, September 4, 1919, at In- dianapolis, Ind., President Wilson said: “If there had been nine days of discussion Ger- many would not have gone to war. If there had been nine days upon which to bring to bear the opinion of the world, the judgment of mankind, upon the purpoges of those governments, they never . would have dared to execute those purposes.” - The primary purpose and ultimate object of my resolution is to ascertain the opinion of the Ameri- "-can people on the subject of engaging in a war with a foreign government in all cases except to repel invasion or attack where there is not time to take a referendum. As the power to declare war is vested in the congress of the United States by the federal Constitution, it is natural and it is necessary that the congress should be accurately informed as to how the people feel about a matter of such transcendent importance to them. WOULD BE FEW WARS IF PEOPLE DECIDED A moment’s reflection will show that this only is the practicable and effective way to determine a question of such momentous seriousness, in- volving as it does such tragic and far- reaching consequences. Most of the wars that have drenched the world with the blood of the most precious lives, destroyed the results of years of arduous labor and turned back the hands of the dial of human progress, would never have occurred if the peoples who were engaged in them had been consulted. By submitting the question to the people, . erooked, surreptitious diplo- macy would receive its deathblow. Every phase of the proposition would be discussed. Every important fact brought forth. Every reason, wise or otherwise, would naturally be ad- vanced. The spectacle of a few irre- sponsible and unscrupulous .diplomats conspiring behind closed doors to make pawns of, peaceable people in or- der to gratify their commercial, ma- terial and political ambitions would not be possible. There would be no place for clandestine intriguing, se- cret treaties, confidential understand- ings, spheres of influence and other abominable negotiations thats these bly characterized the procedures of secret diplomacy. 5 declared, “a government of the peo- it is their God-given right to be con- sulted. R e may suggest and whch have invaria- As this is, as the immortal Lincoln . ple, by the people and for the people,” it follows' as ‘a necessary corollary’ that upon a question of such vital sig- . nificance the-people ought to be ‘and