Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-20
For Il League of Peace

TT is worthy of note that the most con-
spcuous critics of the League to Enforce
Peace are Theodore Roosevelt and William
j. Bryan-frc- eater and sword brandisher on
the one hand, and convinced and inveterate
paciiist. Oh the other Colonel Roosevelt OPP
poses because in his heart OF hearts he be-
licves the league would realize or approach.
the ideal expressed in its name; Mr.. Bryan
because Of the suggestion of force through
which that ideal is TO be attained
Allied responses. official and unofficial to
the Presidents recent communication to the
helgcreats, all have stressed the necessity
ri such an international agency OF security.
Practically all the great ncutrals have in
dorscd it. In this country its supporters in
cludc Woodrow Wilson. William H. Taft,
Charles +. Hughes. Charles w. Eliot and
scores of other distinguished leaders Of
thought
Ii is not TO he blinkcd that the league repre-
scnts - radical departure from the policy OF
isolation which has been since Washington
the policy of this government, but it is not to
be blinked. either, that such departure has
become inevitable. President Wilson, on a
dozen different occasions. has described the
difficulty with which neutrality has been pre-
served, and all of us know the descriptions
have not been overdrawn. The President has
declared that this is the last great war from
which the United States will be permitted to
stand aside--and practically all thinking men
accept this conclusion sound
What shall we do? All the other great
nations and good many of the smaller ones
arc divided now into two hostile camps At
the close of the this division will be
preserved. at least for a time, and il will be
for the United States to say whether it will
join one or the other, or maintain Of yore
its attitude Of aloofncss, or help to organize
SupDlanttng the several leagues to make war
the proposed League TO Enforce Peace.
1t is true that. if we do enter the league
we shall take on ourselves the duty of par
ucipating III wars in which we have no i'm
mediate concern. The league proposes to
enforce a period Of consideration and the
submission of opposing contentious to a high
court or board of arbitration. All signatories
must agree TO submit their contentious and
await the verdict. but they would not agree
TO abide by this verdict under all circum-
stances.
The plan. in other words is to "organize
the nations OF the world so that the force of
all may control the violence Of the few" An
international police force is contemplated and
ii is conceivable that it would be employed
but the strongest sanction most capable OF
producing results. would be the enlightened
judgment of mankind.
as Mr.. Taft has said. this nation should
not join such league unless the project had
the overwhelming Endorsement of the people.
Without an Endorsement OF that completeness
1t is conceivable that Congress- which must
declare war under Constitutions would
finch at TIE critical moment from the duty
the nation had assumed. Unless however
the world is going to sit by and permit the
struggle now raging TO become the mere
preface 10 another and more terrible conflict
some such org IMITATION as the League to En-
force Peace must re formed