Evening star., 1918-07-09
To Avoid Perennial Debate.

y AVO1Q IGIGuu1dl OGDdLSs
Should the present war end with
out a definite settlement in advance
of the principles that are to govern
the league or nations the chances of
repeated postponements and perennial
debate without really setting up an
organization to prevent war is in
keeping with the way nations hither-
to have let matters of this kind drift
because war was not Immediately in
the background to force decisions and
agreements.
But irrespective of the advantages
after the war of having a definite un-
derstanding on such things as mill
tary and naval disarmament and the
removal of economic barriers so that
each nation may know what domestic
policy to pursue with reference to all
those questions, the value of a part
nership by the entente to which neu-
trail nations can be admitted is
obvious.
II the peoples of the central powers,
including the oppressed peoples
were to see the alternatives which a
league Of nations held out to them
they would have many more reasons
to oust the present militaristic regimes
than the vague speeches Of entente
statesmen.
Openly Favor Immediate Action.
Lord Curzon and viscount Bryce in
Great Britain and Bourgeouis in France
have come out openly in favor of inn
mediate organization of a league of ma
tions, or at least such a start on the
project as can be made during the war.
1t is argued, for instance. that when the
time for a peace conference does arrive
there will be SO much discussion of ter
ritorial readjustments and access to raw,
materials as to make secondary the
formation OF league to enforce the de-
crees OF the peace conference. The nat
ural tendency on the part of many will
be to suggest that these questions be
deferred and worked out later Which
may mean that they never will be work
ed out. for once treaty of peace or
armistice is signed the chances Of fore
ing any radical changes in the disor-
ganized state in which international So
ciety found itself at the outbreak of the
war may become very remote.
Time to Consider Fundamentals,
There is plenty of time for the
careful consideration OF the funda-
mentals that must be embodied in a
league to insure peace-plenty of
time because none of our officials
here, for instance, forecasts tie end
ing of the war before another year,
anu iAocS VI lhSiI dIt COuuQenI IL
will go much beyond that. Many of
our foremost citizens-men like Elihu
Root and William H. Taft of the re-
publican party, who have given much
thought to an after-the-war organi-
zation OF nations-are available for
the project as are persons in the
Presidents party like Secretary Lans-
ing, Louis D. Brandeis and some of
the older diplomats who have return
ed to this country but who have a
background of European experience
which would be valuable in studying
the question at issue.
Such word as has come from Eu-
rope indicates that American leader
ship would be welcomed. President
Wilson stands high in the regard of
European peoples. From every side
comes word that no American has
ever been held in such high esteem
and that radicals as well as consery-
dents ideas in the unif1cation Of the
entente program when the time comes
to talk terms.
President Principal Factor.
The President is today considered
one of the principal factors in the
cohesion of the entente cause. He
has'brought out clearly the principles
for which the war is being fought and
secured their Endorsement by the
allies. It is admitted that the plan
to organize at once q league of ma
tions, emitting, of course, the central
powers, would succeed or fail accord
ing to the strength Of the leadership
of the movement, and invariably 1t is
faith in President Wilson's ability %
put through the proposal which lies
back in the minds Of those who are
now advancing it
From such a league Of nations, or
ganized at once, would come collat-
eral advantages. For the allies them
selves have never gotten together on
the things they would insist upon at
the peace conference, and many
time II has been feared that dis
agreements would really occur when
the entente group sat down to formu-
late its own program. The formation
of league which would be in exist
ence when the peace conference ar
rived would mean adherence to set
to every problem would make easy
the solution of questions that might
under other circumstances work out
in Just the reverse fashion-insist-
ence on a principle derived from the
selfish ends sought at the moment 4
No Definite Opinion by o. 8.
1t oannOt Do SAID that the govern
ment here has ever expressed to its
abroad definite opin-
ion on whether the league of nations
should be created at onee or deferred,
but the subject has from time to time
been discussed between them. Fre-
it has been objected that the
occasion was not opportune and that
the move might be miseontstrued, but
here again faith in the Presidents
statesmanship Ia the son answer that
can be given to that ap: pehension. A
Americas war prepare IONS continue
CONTINUED on Nindl Pa2sl