The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-07-18
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
MAY MEAN PEACE
Alabama Man Urges Adoption OF
Covenant Without Amendment
or Reservation.

'"The great cause Of war, ne SAID,
"may be paraphrased in two words:
National selfishness.' Until the civil
lization of the world is prepared to
dethrone it's own selfish ideals and
to recognize the rights of other peo-
pies. the inherent causes of war must
continue to exist.
~ am not prepared to say that the
adoption of the present treaty carries
within itself the elimination of these
causes of war, or that in the end
there will be no more wars, but l do
say that, within the folds OF this
treaty we find an agreement between
the great nations of the world that
probably will in the future carry the
questions of national dispute to a
court of final arbitration, and in
many, if not most instances, avoid
the horrors and injustices of war.
81 do not regard the organization
of the league as a supergovernment.
No supergovernment could exist with
out power to maintain itself, within
itself. The league has no power to
levy taxes and without revenue gov
ernment can not long exist. The
league has no power to raise armies
and navies, and, without military
forces it can not defend itself. With
the right to withdraw, l feel that
there is no need to fear the danger
Gus surrender of any of the funda-
mental principles and rights of the
American people. Therefore, l am
willing to take it and try it and hope
that from the seed that IS planted to-
day, in it's fruition the final peace OF
the world may be found.
81 am more interested in the prin-
ciples enunciated in the clauses re-
lating to the league of nations than l
am in the power given for the gov
eminent, for on those principles the
future life Of the league must depend.
/ would have been glad tc subscribe
to a contract that would have arbi-
trarily limited the armaments OF the
world. Such a decree is not found
within the contract, but there is
covenant that seeks to keep the
peace of the world, that authorizes
the executive council of the league
to consider how much the present
ornaments Of nations should be re-
duced.
"Another vital principle that. we
are asked to agree to is that all OF
the members of the league shall sub
nit differences between them that
are not capable of being settled by
negotiations before tribunal to be
composed of judges or arbitrators
agreed to by them, and after enter
ing into the arbitration, they are re-
auired to abide by the award.
'sBut the greatest principle OF the
league tending to keep the peace OF
the world is that which declares that
the high contracting parties to this
treaty shall undertake to respect and
preserve against external aggression
the political independence and the
territorial integrity of. every member
of the league Most Of the wars that
have been waged in the ages that
have passed have had as their gov
erning cause the desire to conquer
and control another people, or to ex-
pand the territory of the country that
is the aggressor in the war. Prevent
the incentive for war growing out OF
a selfish desire for aggression, as
the over weening force Of this coven-
ant will do, and few actual causes OF
war will remain that can not without
difficulty or. danger be submitted to
the high court of arbitration.
"You may say: "Then, why should
we become involved. in an ALI
ance that may drag US into the
disputes, the disasters and the dan
gers of other nations?'
"This was the doctrine our fathers
believed in, and one that l am slow
to yield. But we face condition,
not a theory. Time and space have
been eliminated. Dangers to our peo-
pie and our republic that were not
dreamed of a century ago confront
us today at our very doors, a threat
ening menace to our lives, our civil
zation and our institutions. Shall we
continue to dream of the ideals OF
the past, or meet as practical men the
dangers of the future? For me, there