bers. It can recommend a settlement, and it can advise as to the inconsistency between treaties and the obligations of the League. Now, how; under that machinery, are those colored gentlemen going to obtain the tyranny that the gentlemen from Missouri has shown? What is the object of such a speech? It is to stir up the Southern constituencies who are sensitive on the subject of Negro domination, and have them write their senators who have indicated a purpose to support the League, so they may be induced to vote against it.
"A Catholic Conspiracy"!
Then the third objection is the dreadful disclosure that the League is a Catholic conspiracy for the purpose of giving the Pope temporal power over us all. This diligent gentleman in hunting objections has counted the nations and found that there are more Catholic nations than Protestant, and they were going to give the Pope world power. Just how it is to be worked out, he does not explain—The Pope is not a member of the League, cannot be elected a member of the League. And even if he could be it is a little difficult to see how he could gain any temporal power thereby. The recommendations of settlement of disputes under the League have to be made by the unanimous judgment of the council, and, if you appeal to the assembly, both by the unanimous judgment of the countries whose representatives constitute the council, and a majority of the other members of the League. Suppose the Pope were in a dispute seeking temporal power. Consider the Council on this issue. There is the United States. How much danger is there that the United States will insist on the temporal power of the Pope?
Then take France. France has been at odds with the Church for twenty-five years, and does not admit the Church in any way into its government.
Then take England. England’s king loses his throne if he becomes Roman Catholic.
Then take Japan. She is Shintoist and Buddhist. She is very likely to vote for the temporal power of the Pope!
And Italy. Italy has been for half a century—ever since it was a united nation—keeping the Pope out of temporal power.
There you have the unanimous vote of the Council against such moonshine—for that is all it amounts to.
7
