The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-17
SENATOR REED AND
A LEAGUE OF NATIONS

BIZ James A. Langton, Shelley, Ida.
1t is well-nigh inconceivabie that
In these days of enlightment there
are In the United States senate men
capable of expressing the Thoughts
voiced by Senator Reed OF Missouri,
in his recent speech in the senate.
One is at a loss to understand now
Reed ever came to be called a Demo-
crat. His is a peculiar brand OF de-
mocracy. 1t would seem that the
senator from Missouri has been In
q Rim Van Wrinkle sleep for about
a century and a half. True democ-
racy and internationalism which IS
hut another name for brotherhood
have evidently gained little favor
with Senator Reed.
The press reports inform us that
he read from Washington's advice
against 'entangling alliances, and
declared that the only safety Tor the
United States lay in strict adher-
ence to this ancient policy OF neu-
trailty.
What must be the caliber of a
mans mind who believes 1t possible
for the America of today to hold IT.
self aloof from the world.
In the time of Washington one
might speak intelllgently of new
and an old world. Today there sis
no new world. The progress in in
yention, discovery, science and in
dustry. and the march of mind with
"the process of the suns" has made
the world one. fAhe great struggle
now closing has taught for all time,
we trust that no nation can live for
itself alone. It has also taught the
lesson that if democracy would live
. the world itself must be democratic
lied. It can no longer live half
autocratic and half-democratic, and
it is the torch of American liberty
and democracy that must illuminate
the whole world.
America can take her destined
place in the panthenon OF nations
only by entering into a close and
sympathetic relationship with all
other honored and justice-loving ma
stions of the earth.
A brotherhood of nations is the
ideal and in the pursuit of this
ideal this republic is the nation to
which all other nations shall lift
their eyes and from which they shall
draw their inspiration.
Senator Reed evidently knows lit
tie or nothing of the evolution OF
society, otherwise he would know,
that if civilization Is to endure, a
league of nations is inevitable. The
evolution of society has ever been
from the smaller to the larger unit.
In ages long gone by man defended
his cave in the rocks or his bower in
the tree. His patriotism knew no
higher expression. Later on tribal
and village life developed and the
men of one tribe or community de-
Tended their community against the
men of other communities. Later
still came the canton or state. In
ancient Greece, Medieval Italy, or
in America only fifty years ago,
mans highest duty was to defend
his state in preference even to his
nation. We are now in the national
isitc stage of evolution and have been
taught to pay our highest allegiance
to a country, such as England, Ger
many, or America. To such men as
Senator Reed, this marks the end of
progress; ne plus ultra, there is no
more beyond" but to men Of clear
intellect and broad vision, there is
much beyond. Beynd tn natin is
the world, and beyond the people of
one country is the great circle of
humanity. Today tens Of thousands
of people in many lands recognize
that their first and highest duty Is
to mankind as whole and not to any
single section of mankind.
The old Latin poet caught this
spirit when he said, 81 am man,
and anything that concerns humanity
is not foreign to me-" Thomas Payne
felt the pulse beat of humanity
throbbing within him when he ut
tered the sublime sentence: "The
world is my country, and to do good
is my religion" Let not a man
glory in this, that he loves his coun-
try" says BAHIA O'llah, ''let him
rather glory in this, that he lives
his kind" ' 49,.
Speaking of an international court
Senator Reed says: "Thas army Of
the court would be able to conquer
the United States. A man who would
Great an army that can conquer the
OIdICo 10 q 6iOoSSA eAoAsoA
than Benedict Arnold"
Certainly this army of the court
would be able to conquer the United
States indeed. much easier than the
allied powers have conquered Ger
many. If the United States ever
needs conquering there should be e
world army. capable of doing the
work in short CIDER.
Senator Reed does not seem cap
able of thinking except in terms of
physical force the problem of ex-
tinction by force has been interpreted
again and again by our modern stu
dents of evolution. The senator
from Missouri should make care
full study Of Darwin's "Origin OF
Species and Descent Of Man" Her.
bert Spencer's principles of Bio
1ogy," Principles of Tthics, and
Principles of Sociology" Prince
Kropotkin's Aid as Factor in Evo-
luton" John Fiske's The Comic
Roots of Love and Self-Sacrifice. "
Henry Drummond's ascent of Man"
and John Haynes Holmes New
Wars for Old"
The people of Missouri should give
Senator Reed a long vacation in
order that he may become some sort