The Republican journal., 1918-11-28
A LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

President Wilson desires "the creation
of league to enforce peace" and almost
all our people agree with him. There has
been but one way in the past to enforce
peace. And that way has been to fight
for it and a very notable demonstration
of the enforcement of peace by fighting
of nations can enforce peaceif it is strong
enough and if its members do not war
against each other. To constitute this
league in a way so that it will be effect
i've even for one generation, may how
ever. prove to be a very difficult problem.
One consideration which seems to be
highly important, is to decide what ma
lions should be included in the league.
Germany should not be a member be-
cause she has put herself on record
as regarding a solemn treaty as nothing
but "a scrap of paper" Although this
statement was not made by the Ger
man people, they applauded it and not
not be a member because there is no
Russia. What was Russia, is now only a
raging murderous mob. Mexico should
not be member because she allowed
Villa and few hundred bandits to run
amuck for a long time, and a country
which cannot or will not prevent open
| is
fitted to participate in enforcing peace
anywhere else. Asia has only Japan to
present as a candidate for membership,
and this country, small in territory, is
large in ambition to acquire more. 1t is
possible that looking southwark towards
the Philippines and westward toward
China, she may not yet desire to Join the
league Spain, Portugal, Greece, Swift
zerand, The Netherlands, Sweden, Nor
way, Denmark and other little nations of
Europe can do little in enforcing peace
upon any strong nation, neither can the
Central American nor the South Ameri-
can States 1t will be wise, however, to
take them into the league as signatory
nations, because their signatures to the
articles of agreement can be interpreted
to imply that they expect to be spanked
if they do not behave. 1t seems to us
that it would be better to create league
to settle national quarrels by arbitration
! and to "enforce'' the decisions of the
arbitrator. 1t will be admitted that the
United States, England, France and Italy
must be the real strength of the league.
After this league is formed it must have
Director general" 1t is not likely
that either of our present allies would
| favor the choice of anybody in the Unit
ed States for that office. Neither is it
likely that our people would wish our
country to assume the responsibilities
which would consequently be put on
them England would probably claim
the direction of the league, and we do
not believe the people of the United
States will ever consent to be dominated
by Great Britain even in the slightest de-
| gree. we nave W ClAo1NS pSoSS
upon that country twice since we became
nation and while we are willing to bear
our share of the league responsibility, we
insist on others bearing their share and
no more. We want no autocracy in the
league. Fortunately there is little danger
of war in the near future, because its
horrors have just been so wildly pictured.
;. A league toenforce peace should be form
ed not only for the people of today but
especially for their children and grand
children. Greed, rapacity and barbarism
are old as history and are not yet dead.
There will be other wars, when the en-
forcement of peace will be tremendous
undertaking. Let us hope that the Peace
League will be so wisely formed that ii
will remain vital till the hour when It's
strength will be needed.