The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-14
Adoption of international
Idea Would be Futile,
Says Colonel.


tan Magaxine.)
oppose the proposals Of the League
to Enforce Peace because under exist
ing conditions, and at this time. and in
view of the past performances Of most
of the leaders Of the movement, and
especially in view of the action of our
government and people during the last
two and one-half years. the agitation
or adoption of the proposals would be
either futile or mischievpus.
At this time, in view Of our utter ma
tional unpreparedness, and Of our utter
recklessness in making promises which
cannot be, or ought not to be. kept,
and of our utter failure to keep the
! promises we have made which ought to
:, be kept, the movement can do no pos.
sible good; it might, IL adopted by our
government. do very serious harm: and
in the more probable event of it's prov
ing merely futile it win tend to make
us ridiculous. s-~-ess4-Fs
There are honorable and upright men
who have taken part III the movement.
These men + believe to be misled. There
are large numbers of well meaning and
enthusiastic men who. because of fail
ure to know the facts. seem to regard
the movement as promising something
of worth. These men, believe, should
have the facts put before them.
Many. probably most, Of the leaders
Of the present movement are following
in the footsteps of land In many cases
are identical With the various profess
sional pacifist agitators who during the
last quarter Of n century have SO deep
'ly discredited the whole peace move
ment. They have In the past opposed
preparedness, or advocated the dis
armament Of this nation and of the
other free nations of the wrold--a dis
armament which would leave all the
free peoples at the mercy of every
,militarstic despotism or barbarism
They have advocated an-inclusive ar
bitration treaties. to include the arbi-
tration of all questions of national
honor and vital interest. They have
advocated the refusal to protect the
lives Of our men and the honor of oul
women in foreign lands. They have
commission treaties which have actu.
ally been adopted by OUR government
during recent years; treaties which In
any serious crisis this nation would
certainly break: treaties which 1t would
be dishonorable to break. and far more
dishonorable. as we'll as utterly dis.
astrous, in any serious crisis to keep
The proposals of this league vary
somewhat from time to time: but In
their essence they are that nations shall
arbitrate all questions, and that they
shall agree to enforce the DEGREES Of
the arbitral court by war. Dealing
with the present. not the future. this
means that we would have to submit
the question as to whether we woul6
admit Asiatic immigrants to our shores
or whether Mexico should be taken pos
session. of and made orderly by som.
European power. or whether Japar
should he allowed to take possession
of Magdalena bay, or whether thu
Monroe doctrine should be abolished. t.
an arbitral tribunal on which Chimes
and Turkish judges might deliver tn
casting votes. s-.a--.--
1t also means that II In some quar-
rel OF doubtful quality such a tribuna
decided in favor of Siam agains
France. or Persia against Russia, w
should be obliged. under penalty o
breaking fal.h. to devote our whole
military and economic strength to 1
long-drawn and bloody war for a Gauss
in which our people had no concern ant
Of which they had no knowledge. an,
in some place where we could hartll!
exert even tiny fraction Of ou
strength. and that only at enormous
$ expense.
We can never accomplish anything
either for ourselves or for anyone els
rs1s,, A. tsnn ntt Ur