Evening star., 1919-03-04
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Peace Terms and League Terms.

Peace Terms and League Terms.
President Wilson will return to Eu
rope, sailing tomorrow, with clearer
conception of the state of the public
mind of America in regard to the pro-
larly, in view of the presentation yes
terday in the Senate of a resolution
Endorsed by more than a third of that
body as it will be constituted in the
next Congress, distinct understand
ing of at least the negative power of
the upper branch of Congress III the
premises. If that resolution reflects
the attitude of thirty-seven members
of the new Senate the league of ma
tions plan as now outlined cannot Sc
cure ratifying vote.
The covenant or constitution of the
league of nations was presented at
Paris on the eve of the Presidents de-
parture, not as a final proposal, but
% a LUhbsttifC vi alb Va OIL Va ShhlS<-
tion awaiting to be given more def
mite and practical form after consid
GRAFTON by the people of the nations.
The discussion that has prevailed since
the presentation of the preliminary
draft by the unanimous vote of the
commission considering the subject has
been helpful. 1t has developed the fact
that there is feeling in this country
of indisposition to enter into an inter
national agreement which will lessen
materially American sovereignty. On
the other hand, it has developed very
general and earnest desire for some
form of league or alliance that will
insure peace in the future.
1t may be that the resolution offered
in the Senate yesterday will hasten the
framing of the peace treaty; that it
will insure the writing into that treaty
of some provisional form of interna-
tional alliance, victors' alliance, to
prevent the nations recently in hos
tility from henceforth violating the
peace, a league to be developed by later
act into a veritable league of all ma
tions.
The imperative need today is for the
earliest possible writing of the treaty
Of peace to put an end to the wars
that even now are raging in parts of
Europe, imperiling the safety of mil
lions Of people and nrenacing return
of the general conflict and the spread
Of dangerously pernicious doctrines.
The resolution just offered in the
Senate does not pronounce against a
league Of nations. It recognizes in
fact the desire that the nations of the
world should unite to promote peace
and general disarmament. It demurs
to the precise form now proposed for
such union. 1t urges the utmost ex-
pedition of the urgent business of ne
gotiating peace, to be followed by the
league of nations proposal.
A league of nations is practically as
sured as an outcome of the war. In
deed, it already exists in the league of
the allied victorious powers, which con-
trolls the situation in Europe, Will die
tate the terms of peace and will re-
main in a position after peace to en-
force observance of and obedience to
those terms. The questions that re-
main to be discussed and decided are
difficult, but not beyond solution. They
bear upon the degree in which national
sovereignty is to be merged into an
international unity, to what extent the
proposed enlarged league is to effect
peace through the power Of making
var TO prevent war, and how far it
may control disputes or war-making
quarrels or civil war within the bound
aries of nations.
The final shaping of the league of
nations covenant will represent com.
promise between the spirit of nation
atty and the desire for peace Such
an adjustment of motives and inter
ests, wishes and apprehensions cannot
be speedily accomplished. Time must
be had for the working out of this
ideal of world union for world peace,
and meanwhile the immediate peace
must be insured with a dependable
safeguard against renewal of hostili-
ues-