The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-04
[By Lowell MelIett. United Press Staff
CORRESPONDENT.

correspondent
Copyright 1919, by the United Press.]
/ PARIS, Feb. 4.-Success or failure
Z of the league of nations depends al
most wholly upn the United States.
/ While America. from purely practic-
al standpoint, has more to lose than
gain through the league. It's duty to
the peoples of the world compeis Its
leadership in this international fel-
lowship Of nations.
This frank statement. was made to
the United Press today by Major
He1ssral Frederick Maurice, se1.eetts'f
expert on military and international
AFFAIRS. He was director of military
operations for the British general staff
until, when the British were opposing
the German drive practically unaided.
he made his famous where is
bleucher?" statement.
Maurice declared that not only must
the United States furnish the fnan-
cial support for reconstruction OF the
warstricken countries-witho1t which
assistance the league would be Still
born-but that great American navy
is essential to maintenance OF the
leagues chief administrative weapon,
economic pressure.
/ 81 am absolutely certain that real
league of nations is going through,
said Maurice.
y f"Eyery day it is more fully realized.
I that the league is not an ideal, but
working proposition. When the ques-
tion of its exact form is brought up
there will come the realization that It's
real efficiency depends upon the Unit
ed states. This does not mean 1t will
tpe necessary for the United States to
undertake, territorial commitments
outside her own continent.
Practical difficulties from the
standpoint of the United States prob
ably will override the advantages she
NAV obtain from the league. But 1t
is absolutely vital that America shall
assume a moral leadership in the
leagues affairs.
Americas most important contri-
buttons to the league come under two
lheads-fnancial and military.
"The necessity for an agreement
nv the United States to support the
league Of nations financially becomes
clearer the more closely the matter
OF restitution and restorattons Is
I gone into. The more actual infor1na-
! tion is obtained, the more certain 1t
! is that we will not get enough out
Of the central powers, either OF
money or material. to set the old
world on its legs again. 1t Is obvi-
GUS that at the very best, our repair
bills would only partially meet.
There won't be any indemnities
from which the world will be able
to finance the development OF the
| German colonies, Turkish territories
or the new republics which are strug-
Cling upward in eastern and south
eastern Europe. The only hope
the worlds future is for America to
step into world politics and give the
league the necessary financial back
ing to put it's program on sound
basis.
] 1--WE recognize that one of the
chief difficulties in maintenance OF
| the league Is that democratic states
are loathe to commit themselves In
definitely to supplying troops to
fight in any part of the world to up
i-hold the leagues authority. That
difficulty need not arise. Great Brit
ain and the United States are rec
ognized as holding the chief weapon
of the league-economic pressure
the method for exercising which is
naval force. If the United States
and Great Britain agree to place
their naval power at the disposal OF
the league, don't see how any Ma
/ ton will ever again dare to even
think of war.
.Tf the United States and Great
Britain had been able in 1914 to
apply to Germany blockade such
as they applied early in 1918, it is
lContinued on page a.