The Washington herald., 1918-07-07
The Growth of An Ideal.

British opinion is swinging over to Pres;d.,,
wilson at rapid gait these days There is little
tax Oh MN now as an academic, idealistic visionary
~hom chance has thrust into craftsmanship, and
MS leadership is accepted now by all except the
lores and the reactionaries, so far as the league
OF nations plan is concerned
Niscount Grey, of Failodeu, British foreign Sec
tetary during the FIRST two years of the war has
broken long silence with weighty little pamphlet
on this subject He appears to have been the first
statesman IN the front ranks of European politics
10 ADOPT the league idea Not only did he adum-
or@te II early IN more than striking speech.
but there is the published record of DR.. Henry
Nandyke, formerly our Minister to the Haeue re-
Iaung now Lord Grey sent message by him to
President Wilson at quite an early period in the
wal. His mind, therefore, has been long turning
II over; and his experience OF international rela-
uonS winch is in some respects unique renders his
judgment about it particularly valuable
lie IS strongly convinced of the leagues neces-
Siy. War, as he points out, has developed into
ruthless and unlimited application of the re-
sources and discoveries OF science to the destruction
OF human lie, noncombatant we'll as combatant
1t iuture wars remain possible after this war has
ended another generation of scientific work, whose
results cannot be confined to any one nation will
bring us within sight OF the destruction of the
human race. There only two working slterna-
tIves-to stop war by establishing the permanent
doHlnlon Oh one nation the others, or to stop
by uniting all the nations Tor at any rate all the
leading ones) in peace-preserving league. The
lormer Is the German aim-the permanent dominion
OF Germany. The latter is being realized with in
crsasng clearness the aim OF the allies it is the
only policy which opens up a future Of freedom
Tor the neutrals; and it is probably not unwelcome
to GcrmanyS allies, who in secret can scarcely
avoid recognizing that it would provide them with
safeguard, not only against their present enemies
but against the overmasterng Prussian partner in
their alliance.
What are the preliminaries to the leagues be-
ing attempted: First, says Lord Grey, it must be
adopted with earnestness and conviction by the
executive heads OF states In the movement for
bringing this about President Wilson has been en-
abled, by circumstances we'll by inclination
to give special lead OF the value. The
only irreconCilabe opponent is the military party
in Germany; and as long its rule in Germany
continues, Germany will oppose league OF ma
Iions. To overcome this obstacle nothing will
suffice short OF allied achievement convincing
the German nation that war does not pay. But
secondly all the states willing form the league
may understand clearly in advance that its forma-
ton will impose limitation upon the action
OF each, mad may also entail some inconvenient OBJ
legation. They must forego their right to make ag-
grcssve war; they must shoulder the obligation
take part in putting it down. This requires
definite mental state which has not yet everywhere
Tipencd, and to those ripening address
ourselves.