Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-06
PERFECTION

The works Of Shakespeare abound In defects. The.
contain numerous misstatement4 Of fact and they aboun1
in examples Of the violation Of recognized literary rules
Shakespeare doubtless made his work as accurate as b.
could IN the time at his disposal. Had he waited for ab
seluts perfection the world would still be waiting for tn,
greatest volume Of dramatic poetry ever written.
Grays "Elesy" has often been described a. 4 perfee,
poem. To assert that a thing - flavless ia to challens.
people to discover flaws in It; and q challenge Of this sor,
IS sure to be accepted Accordingly, this immortal pro
duction has been subjected to keen analysis. with the re.
suit that, like all other human productions, it has been
found to possess defects. These defects have been point
ed out and recognized, to be forgotten inanedtatsly in the
general charm aud beauty Of the whole work. Gray spen,
years In polishing up this poem, and yet he did NO, at
tain perfection. Had he waited for that, the world would
have been deprived Of enc Of It's finest bits of Literature
The constitution Of the United States was a long time
d course OF preparation. Aside from the historic prtn-
eipiss witch were brought together into it's foundation, it
took the fire and blood OF the Revolutionary war to fmpel
= recognition OF its need and the years Of experience under
the Articles Of Confederation to point tho way to IT. real
ization- And yet with the need and the experience as In
|cendve and guide, the actual deliberations over the docu-
Hent required months and the work Of ratification years
The votes In severa, Of the state legislatures showed but
nazrow majorities IN favor Of ratification, and it was con-
,ceded by the msst ardent champions Of tho constitution
that IL was defective In many important PARTICULAR
II there had been No constitution until the perfect one
were produced, there would today have been no American
nation, and the cause Of freedom would have ,angutshed
thFoushout the world.
The constitution prepared for the League Of Nations
ia detective. No Intelligent pe1sor who reads 4. can fail
TO recognize IN It. features which might be amended. But
If We are-gotne to wait for the perfect constitution there
vna b NO League ef 6attaoa. now OF at any other time
The question for those charged with the responsibilities
OF deciding 10 not a. to the perfection of the comoac,
That It Is not perfect is granted at the outset The que=-|
aeu " whether or not, With its admitted defects, it pos
seasss sufficient merit to warrant its acceptance.
1t commits tia nations Of the world deftnitelv 10 +he}
policy Of settling disputes without. recourse to arma
It binds them to the recognition OF the rtxh, Of .vev
nation, great and small, to maintain its own territorial
integrity and political Independence.
1t pledges the combined power of It's member. 70 re-
sm1 any acn OF aggression by any one Of them.
And 1t creates machinery whereby, at their pleasure
the nations may make provision for the proper formula
ton OF International law, the creation Of international
courts. and such ether things as the world, in the pro-
sressfve Development Of it's thought, aeall desire.