The Farmington times., 1917-02-02
SENATOR REEDS CRITICISM

1t occurs to US that Senator Reed is
exercising himself unnecessarily over
President Wilson's great world-peace
pronunciamento, and that he is just a
little too vitriolic in voicing his OBJ
jections. His extravagant declara-
ton that the Presidents utterances
will "make him ridiculous before the
country and before the world" is far
from being borne out so far in the
respect that has been accorded them
both at home and abroad, even if the
principles of the consent of the gov
erned and that no nation should seek
to force its policy over any other ma
ton, so clearly set forth, are not read
lily accepted by the hereditary rulers
of the old world.
The Senator's fears that world
concert of nations of which we were
party would subject the army and
navy of the United States to the or
uSIS VI SolIS Olltl uillG VI uiliCo VI
the concert in a possible contingency,
are not as serious as they appear to
him. With a world concert or league
of nations based upon such principles
and guarantees as the President sug-
gests, there would be little probabil-
ity of anything of the sort. A dis
astrous war could hardly be precipi-
tated. National disagreements would
be settled by international councils
and the nation, whose contention or
claim the council might decide was
not founded in justice, would per-
force have to submit. If it attempted
to enforce its claim by an appeal to
arms, it would find both the moral
and physical force of the concerted
nations against it, and short shrift
would be made of its resistance. Ev-
en- in such an event, it is not prob
able that there would be any general
movement of the worlds armies and
navies. OF course this is theoreti-
cal view, yet the question of the wis
dom of such a policy is one that may
be discussed with calmness.
But there is little hope at this time
that the Presidents vision of world
wide and concert-maintained peace
could be realized. 1t could not until
the principles upon which the Amer
lean government is founded, and
which he emphasizes in every para
graph as a basis of international con-
cert, obtained among the peoples and
rulers of the old world. Hence some
have rejected the Presidents ideas as
Utopian, and to human penetration
they may be, but it is just such bold
advance declarations of principles
and purposes, by men of thought anG
courage, that eat their way into the
minds and thoughts of men, until
some day they become accepted, in
fluential and popular policies The
world is more democratic today than
it was one hundred and fifty years
ago, because of the bold declaration
Of the forward looking men of a few
weak colonies over which Great Bri-
tain held sway, that all just govern
ment derives its powers and author
ity from the consent of the governed
The success and happy result of that
principle, as applied TO our American
government, has not been without its
effect and influence upon the minds
of thoughtful men the world over
President Wilson, at a critical mo.
mentj of the worlds history, has en-
phasized that principle in his peace
proposal address, and it can but have
wholesome effect. Ethiopian as g
permanent world-peace may seem to-
day, the time may not be so far dis.
tant when the claim of the few to &
divine right to rule may be cast into
the discard by all enlightened ma
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