The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-02-20
THE MEANING OF A LEAGUE

The MEANING Vt "A LEAUOG
Senator Borah speaks plainly. He
gives little comfort to the international
doctrinaires who would submerge pat
riotism beneath tide of universal broth
erhood. He may not command the UNI
qualified and invariable approval of those
who are opposed to League of Nations.
But at least he puts the case in peculiar
ly direct and lucid way, and furnishes
food for much needed thought.
A League of Nations can have only one
legitimate object. That is, to preserve the
peace of the world. That object is not
only legitimate; it is essentially laudable.
When Proudhon testified before a legls-
lative committee that Socialism was "ev-
cry aspiration for the amelioration OF
humanity" he was told, "1hen we are all
Socialists" If the League of Nations
comprised every agency for the preserva-
ton of peace, or were the only possible
means to that end, then we should pro-
badly all be it's advocates. But such is
not the case.
If League of Nations is to keep the
peace of the world or is to enforce peace
upon the world, it must do so, Senator
Borah suggests, in one of two ways. Per-
haps we might say, three ways; though
the third may be reckoned merely part
of one Of the two.
One way is through moral suasion. But
such league was formed years ago:
All the important nations of the world
solemnly agreed and covenated ito use
their best efforts to ensure the pacific
settlement of international differences"
and. before themselves appealing to
arms. ito have recourse to the good Off
ces or mediation Of one or more friendly
Powers" and, when they saw their fel-
lows quarreling, to "offer their good Of
fices or mediation to the States at vari-
ance." We say that the nations all pledg-
ed themselves to that; Germany, Austria
Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey with the
rest. But that League OF Nations did
not enforce peace nor prevent war III
July and August, 1914, and we have seen
no convincing evidence that another now
formed on the same moral basis would
prove any more effective in the face OF
some Power that might regard treaties
vas scraps of paper and that might cynic-
ally declare the Ten Commandments to
be leges nullae in affairs of state.
The second way, upon which Senator
Borah dwells at greater length, is that
of physical force military coercion. With
this, as we have said, we may conjoin the
third way, that of non-intercourse and
boycott, since the latter would OF course
imply and would almost certainly require
the exertion of force. Doubtless that
would in many cases-in all, perhaps
prove effective. We have no doubt that
ne present Allied Powers thus leagued
together and putting forth all their bellig
Ierent might, would be able to overwhelm
ANY recalcitrant nation and impose their
will upon the world. But let us make no
mistake as to what that would mean,
materially, and quite apart from the
moral principle involved.
1t would mean abandonment of all
thought of disarmament, or the reduc-
ton of ornaments, which the advocates
of a League profess so greatly to desire.
Obviously, it would be necessary for the
leagued Powers to maintain enormous
forces in constant readiness. These fore
es would have TO be great enough not
merely to defeat any hostile Power or
cayabination of powers, but also to do SO
tap,ly. a single overwhelmingly
O. it would be farcical to pre-
b maintain peace by letting wars
oeCur and suppreesing them only after
long campaign. We should have to main
tain large standing armies and navies,
with tho inaVitahla hIlpdanc of taxation