Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-03
America Must Not Hold Aroef.

America Must NOT 1olo AIoof.
AS might well have been expected
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in his
address to the United States Senate
on Friday, added more to the COM
mon sense element of the League OF
Nations discussion than have all
others combined. Senator Lodge not
only calmly and Gispa ssionately crit
icized the existing ccvcnant but Of
fered means Of removing some OF
those objections that now arouse
opposition in the minds of many
Americans.
Senator Lodge grounded his adj
dress in solemn warning to the Am
erican people against breaking away
from the policies Of Washington and
Monroe. But he gave no reason why
a League of Nations should not be
perfected. He submitted construc.
tive changes for Bone of the Is ar
ticlcs Of the covenant.
And above all Senator Lodge made
plain the need for spreading the dis
cussion Of this great problem into
every corner Of every civilized land.
In our own country We believe the
subject should be taken up and dis
cussed everywhere-in debating so.
cieties. church clubs. Rotary clubs.
in pulpit, press and street. Let US
help the public to become familiar
with every reason for and against
such a step.
Students Of history know that ev-
cry advance of humanity has been
opposed by many Of the acknowl-
edged leaders Of the times. In
Christ's time He was opposed and
conspired against by many Of the
greatest minds practical mem
Of that stage of civilization. 1t has
ever been thus and will be to the
millennium. for oppositio.. is the
motive power Of progress. Mental
friction creates the current of mass
thought that drives things forward.
u is necessary that such minds as
those of Lodge and Borah stand at
the opposite pole from those OF Taft
and Wilson. Between lies the force
that clarifies human conclusions and
safeguards moral progress. Let dis
cussion continue until men of the
street and town are as familiar with
Washington's advice and Monroe's
doctrine" and the history of such
policies and doctrines down through
INC generations, as are tho profess
sional men and students of national
affairs.
To US the meat of Senator Lodges
address is embodied in the following:
The people of tho United States
are peace-loving people We have
no boundaries to rectify. no schemes.
ana no desires for acquisition or
conquest of territory We have in
the main kept the peace in the Am
,erican hemisphere. The States of
South America have grown con-
htantly more stable. and revolutions
nave wcll-nigh dissa ppeared in the
states south of those bordering on
the Caribbean. No one questions
that the United States is able to pre-
vent any conflicts in the American
hemisphere which would involve the
world in any way or be more tina
passing difficulties, which in most
cases could be settled by arbitration
II we join league. therefore, i,
must be with view to maintaining
peace in Europe. where all the
greatest wars have originated. and
where there is always danger of war
and IN Asia. where serious conflicts
may arise at any moment. II we
join a league. OF course. we have in
mind the danger OF European con-
Hicts springing up in such a way as
TO involve US in the defense of civ
ilization, as has just happened in the
war with Germany. But such wars
as that are. fortunately. rare: 80 rare
that one has never before occurred
and when the time came we took on,
part; but in the main our share in
any league must be almost wholly
for the benefit Of others. We have
the right. therefore. to demand that
there shall be nothing in any agree
ment for the maintenance Of the
world peace which is likely to pro.
ducc new causes Of difference and
dissention. or which is calculated tc
injure the United States. or compel
from US undue sacrifice. or put US II
position where we may be forced te
serve the ambitions Of others. There
is no gain for peace in the Americas
TO be found by annexing the Americas
to the European SYSTEM"
With the distinguished senator VIZ
agree that 'old and tried policies
should not be lightly discarded as w
reach for something that looks better
We have had far too much of that in
our internal affairs-wholesale swal.
lowing Of cure.alls expected to re.
lieve us Of all mental and physical
effort in the processes Of govern
ment. But We see no need Of cling
ing to fetish. however effective has
been the influence Of its worship. il
the cause which gave it birth is re.
moved.