Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-02
"The League to Enforce Peace"

"The League to Enforce Peace"
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt opposes
1.-THE League to Enforce Peace"
AS ever the case with him. he gives
good reason WHY he opposes the
League to Enforce Peace.
While we believe in the plan, we be-
ieve with Colonel Roosevelt that we
should make our nation ridiculous If
we should attempt to butt in" under
existing conditions, and at this hour.
In a copyrighted article in the Feb
ruary Metropolitan Magazine. which is
given the public today, Jan. 2. 1917,
Colonel Roosevelt says:
"Germany is obviously anxious
to end the war, so long as it can
be ended to her advantages; and It
seems likely that with this end in
view she will encourage and
praise her dupes on this side OF
the water in the movement for
League to Enforce Peace. Eng.
land seems likely to take the
same position; perhaps from
similar reasons; moro likely for
reasons Of home politics, in or
der to pIacate or fool the English
pacifists. Both Berlin and Lon.
don will act in their own inter.
ests.'
Germany has just perpetrated new
and dreadful offense against that moral
law which should govern nations even
when they are at war with one an
other. She has deported thousands OF
civilian non combatants, men and
women. from France, and tens of
thousands from Belgium, and announc-
es that she will deport hundreds of
thousands more These captured civil
ians are to serve as State-slaves In
Germany. and by their toll to make
easier the conquest by Germany of
preaching this outrage has been per-
petrated since the close of the dreadful
religious war of the seventeenth CEN
fury. Germany's act is one of infamy !;
and the act of any nation, or set Of
men, or individual man who fails to
protest as strongly as possible against
it, or whose conduct tends to distract
attention from it. is in the interest of
the wrongdoer and is itself infamous.
The agitation Of the League to En-
force Peace at this time is, therefore,
a move against international morality,
against our own national honor and vi
tai interest, and in the real interest of
international barbarity
| oppose the proposals of the League
to Enforce Peace" because under ex-
listing 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 a half years, the agita-
ton or adoption of the proposals would
be either futile or mischieyous. At this
time, in view Of our utter national IN
preparedness, and Of our utter reck-
lessness in making promises which can
not 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 possible good !:
it might, if adopted by our Govern
ment, DO very serious harm; and in the
more probable event of its proving
merely futile it will tend to make us
ridiculous
There are honorable and upright men
VINO have taken part in the movement
These men l believe to be misled.
There are large numbers Of well-mean-
ing and enthusiastic men who. because
OF failure to know the facts seem to
regard the movement as promising
something of worth These men. .be-
lieve, should have the facts put before
them.
Both Berlin and London will act in
their own interests If our future resem-
oies our recent past, Washington will,
let both of them profit at our EXPENSE.
but especially Berlin, for, Washington
is more afraid of Berlin. >
9 .
cannot in this article discuss at
length all the considerations which
make the proposal for such a leapne
mischievous folly under existing con-
dtions. Among other things, it does
us moral harm by still further en-
couraging our people to make grandil-
oquent promises without consideration
as to how they are to be kept and no
serious intention of keeping them.
More evil is the unquestioned fact that
the agitation is adroitly used as n
means for defeating the movement for
thorough military preparedness. To
adopt it will divert mems mind from
their real duty of soberly and with