The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-05-15
The Worlds Next Step
NO.
League Of Nations the First COneerted
world Move
BY cLARENcE sPEED

the awakening Of the nations from
the bigotry and intolerance Of the dark
ages; the rise OF the spirit Of demOc-
racy; the revolt against human slay-
cry and SerfdOm; the general antip-
athy toward exploitation OF one class
by another.
But all Of these steps in human
progress had small beginnings. They
would originate, perhaps, in a single
community of one nation, spread from
there over the whole country, cross
borders with much difficulty. and
finally sweep over the greater part Of
the civilized world.
Now. however, for the first time in
history. we find in the organization OF
a league of nations what may be con-
sidered as the civilized world prepared
TO take a step forward in unison. This
being so, isn't IL reasonable to expect
that the league of nations idea viii
succeed more quickly than other pro
gressive ideas which have preceded II?
Democracy, as the modern world
understands Ii, may be considered TO
date from our own revolution and the
French revolution, though the seeds
were planted long before then. The
powerful of the earth were against it
Organized governments fought it.
Armies and navies were used to put
ii down. just a century ago, when Ma
PoleOn was Oyerthrown and the ancient
dynnsties were being put back on their
thrones, it might have seemed that
democracy was doomed to failure.
Yet we see today democracy trium-
miami Tbnra SCARCELY rams snS i'm
pOrtant government on earth in which
the people do not have the final say
as to its policies.
If democracy could triumph over
such great obstacles, is there any rea-
son TO believe that league OF nations,
with all the world for il, will fail?
The league is the natural outgrOwth
OF democracy. It does not seek to
Overturn existing institutions It does
not threaten national governments or
national ideals.
It starts with everything in its IA
vOr- The worlds most powerful mill
tary nation has just tried TO conquer
and despoil its neighbors and failed
because il found the sentiment OF man
kind against it England, France,
Italy and the United States have Just
finished expending life and treasure
ia hitherto unheard-Of quantities in
Il war which they did not seek and did
not want
One nation has learned that il can
not combat an outraged world, and the
others have learned that they cannot
keep out OF 4 modern war just because
they want to- They all know now that
war spreads like wildfire after it
starts. involving the innocent and the
guilty alike in its misery They all
realize that the only way 10 prevent
war in the future is to act in concert
That is why they are now forming
the league Of nations.
For this reason il does not appear
that the authority of the league OF na-
tiOns, once it is established, is likely 10
be seriously challenged in the near
future The world is too busy binding
up its wounds right now for any na-
ton to dare to risk everything in
another general war. The task OF
reconstruction is too great
Therefore ii would seem that the
league starts with every prospect Of
being given an opportunity 10 hare a
fair trial Its constitution as now
drawn is Of course far from perfect
1t is the result Of compromise and
Of differing opinions. But all nations
are agreed upon the idea Of its de-
STABILITY and its main purpose to pre-
vent war.
The constitution OF the league is
not rigid Provision is made for
changes as they may be found to be
necessary. AS time goes on undoubt-
edly there will be changes. There
have been changes in our own COnsti-
tuition and there viii be more.
1t is not fair TO assume, either, that
the millennium has arrived just be
cause a league Of nations is coming
into being. There probably viii be
for ages to come injustice in the
world, but it Is certain that there will
be less and less Of it as time goes on.
and it is reasonable to suppose that
a world league founded upon the idea
OF justice viii be able to make fur
Their progress than individual nations
with hostile interests and unreasOniHg!
prejudices.
There is much room for division Of
opinion as TO details OF the league
But for that matter there is great
division of opinion as TO the conduct
of internal affairs Of this or anyf
other country. Every four years We
are thrown into a ferment by an elec-E
ton in which one great party bitterly
opposes the other But neither DEMO-
Graf nor Republican would favor over-s
turning our form OF government sim
ply because he cannot dictate its i'm
mediate policies
Neither should we Wish to prevent
the formation OF a league Of nations
simply because its constitution con
tains some few provisions with which
we are not fully IN accord. Havinet
done our best to have our ideas in
eOrpOrated, we can and we Shoulds
accept it as II comes from the com
mission OF the entente powers. ana
should assume that IT viii be rradu-
ally improved in the light OF experi-
euee.
Further information regarding league