TWO IMPORTANT DECISIONS

Two decisions of first importance to the United States have been made by the Assembly of the League of Nations. One is the defining of Article X; the other is Denmark's answer, which is regarded as satisfactory, to the request for troops for the League army; that her action depended on the approval of the Danish Parliament.

Article X is constructed to mean in the official statement of the Assembly that the League "does not guarantee the territorial integrity of any member of the League. All it does is to condemn external aggression on the territorial integrity and political independence of any member of the League and calls on the council to consider what measures to take to resist that aggression." This certainly clarifies the much disputed Article X.

The importance of Denmark's reply is that our position, were we a member nation, would be analogous to hers. If we were asked to supply forces for a foreign undertaking "Congress," says the "New York Times," "like the Danish Parliament, would have full power to refuse to send troops should it be held that the Constitutions of the United States demanded such consent in the case in point."

Both of these decisions support President Wilson's construction of the covenant, much to the joy of his supporters in the election. But it is a matter of argument whether the Assembly did not render its verdicts for the very purpose of facilitating the entrance of the United States which has demanded more than Mr. Wilson's interpretation of vague provisions. At any rate what were important and doubtful questions are now settled definitely. Every day brings further proof that this country can and must enter the League of Nations as soon as possible.