Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-19
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
No More Difficult to Form 1t Than to Form
the American Union

To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir-To see Lord Robert Cecil hail the in
ternational food commission as the nucleus Of
another has seen it in commercial union.
another In judicial union. still another in a
police union, an arbitral one. not to mention
less important FORMS The expression OF
Cecil that I'VE must rebuild the international
SYSTEM "in, the greatest chance ever offered
to a generation Of men" gives us hope that
there are enough leading men In the various
nations TO not only work for some vague
league" but a real United Nations gov
ernment
Further encouragement is had in the fact
that there Is no more inertia or opposition
now to overcome in bringing about repre-
sentative, self-governing United Nations,
under a constitution, than there was in secur-
ing United States" In 17Ss, not 10 say
1776. For even in 1888, when an ac.uai
ready-made constitution was up for adop-
tion by the people of thirteen States.~1 re-
uuired only siXty-siX men to change theif
votes to prevent the formation OF the Gov
ernment of the United States! That many
could have decided majority or the states
against it, 1t needed only ten in Massachu-
setts to change to the negative to keep ner
out: only twelve in Pennsylvania to decide
against it only twenty-seVen In Maryiana
only six in Virgnja ja-the largest state tne
one that had to give UP more TERRITORIAL
claims than all the rest put together-and
the same small number in New Hampshire
while only three were needed TO turn IN New
York and two in Rhode Island making SIX.
tv.six in seven States. and the great Consti-
,vtIon of the United States would have been
merely "a scrap Of paper! Only three OF
the very smallest States voted unanimously
for It
II the "United States" Constitution could
win out against such inertia and opposition
as that after a dozen years of discussion
and only mild suffering, as compared to
what the world is now enduring, the pros
meet of securing a UNITED Nations'-if men
| work as hard for it as they do for victory
| in warts equally as good, II not superply
better.
washington spoke as vaguely as President
Wilson although he emphasized coercive
| governmental power more, In the early days
of suggestion. But inertia and opposition
| were overcome by the intelligence, learning
| and untring persistence and courage OF
| James Wilson, James Madison and very
| few others to bring 1t to fruition and pro-
| duce a new political science as well as a
new interstate government They had TO near
| men say visionary" impossible" cant
| he done" too many obstacles virginia
| won't cede her great western territory" "the
| states won't give up sovereignty" Gas II
| they-instead OF the people--ever had it
.the big States won't limit their right OF
majority" the small states VIII not give
| nm equality" sit is too cumbersome" "it
would break down of its own weight" INC
| settlement or compromise Of the slave rep
resentation can be made"-and the like. at
| infnitum! But it wasn't visionary It wa!
possibe; it was done; obstacles gave way
| Virginia did cede her great claim to thu
new union the States gave up fanciet
"soyereignty." becauS the people possessed
II: the big States did limit their majort,
mowers in the Senate: the small States dit
give up equality in the lower house instead
of being cumbersome and unwieldy it ha
| nroyed the most magnificently simple ant
| efectiye instrument of self-government eve
created and has become the basis Of a new
political science; a slave compromise wa
secured and the splendid new instrumen
6nally purged itself of slavery to becom
stronger than ever
So will 1t be with those who have the coui
age and vision to work for a Omitted Ma
tions" and its constitution
food commission is a symptom, not
nucleus" a convention will be the nuceu!
BURTON ALVA KONKLE.
Swarthmore. Pa, August IT.