The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-04
THE LEAGUE TO ENFORCE
PEACE


Every proposal for a new departure
in public affairs, and especially in for
eign relations, awakens exaggerated
hopes and stirs unneeded fears, writes
A Lawrence Lowell in The North
American Review. Often the hopes
and fears are due to misunderstand-
ing of the object sought. This ought
not to be true of the League to En-
force Peace, because. altho the details
and methods of operation are left to
the future, the principles involved are
clearly stated and the limitations of
the objects sought are carefully de-
fined. An impression, however, has
gone abroad that the organization may
be intended, or used, to help in bring
ing the European war to a close.
There are people, no doubt, who would
like to see it directed to that purpose;
but the statement of the object was
deliberately framed to prevent this
very thing, namely, to Establish and
maintain peace after the close of the
present war" and the executive COM
permit it to be diverted from this aim.
To seek to maintain peace before war
breaks out is a very different thing
from interposing between belligerents;
offering, unsought, an opinion upon
the terms they ought to accept; and
bringing pressure to bear on the weak
er and more vulnerable side. 1t is es-
sentially the difference between seek
ing to prevent a quarrel and buying
into a quarrel. An attempt to sepa-
rate combatants may be, under prop
er conditions, highly praiseworthy. but
is certainly no part of the object of
the league in the present war.
Many Americans complain that the
league would involve our country in
entangling alliances with foreign ma
| lions contrary to our traditions. 1t
would certainly involve obligations,
and those of a grave character-obli-
cations that might possibly result in
war-and so does the Monroe doctrine.
On the other hand. the obligations
might, and probably would, save us
from being entangled in war. There
are different kinds of obligations and
alliances. Some people think of the
proposed league as an alliance of
few nations to counterbalance another
league of about equal strength and
| this might become a provocation,
rather than a prevention, of war. A
vendetta where men are bound to-
gether to fight others and revenge in
| juries, is an entangling alliance; a po-
lice force is not. 1t is to the latter
class that the league belongs. It is
primarily directed to prevent war
among its own members, and will,
it is hoped, become SO strong as to
maintain peace at last thruout the
world. In fact, if enough nations and
enough great nations join it the others
will feel the need of coming in.
There is no use in seeking to mini
mize the obligations that our nation
womb undertake; but no nation, and
especially no rich and powerful nation.
can be wholly isolated in the world to-
day. If it stands alone. it must run
a risk of collision, of struggle with a
| dangerous antagonist, perhaps more
than one enemy, and perhaps alone.
| Our people must seriously consider
whether the security against war is
not worth the cost of the insurance.
and whether we should not be wise,
whether we have not some duty, to
take part in the policing of the world.
Such an opportunity as will be pre-
sented at the close of this war is not
likely to come again.