South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-12

render this army TO the direction of
an international organization which
the ultimate decision might rest the
de facto government OF Venezuela.
And the American commissioners in
Paris were equally unable at all
times 10 guarantee that the United
States congress would accept any
treaty Of Paris which places the
United States policy for the future
in the hands OF the European coun-
tries, when these constitute a ma
jority in the league Of nations
DISPOSITION OF HUN
COLONIES NEXT.
We had then easily and promptly
the end OF superstate. Next came
the problem of disposing Of the Ger
man colonies and Turkish territories.
Under Mr.. Wilson's various utter
ances a logical solution of the di-
vision OF these colonies and terri
tories among the great powers was
practically impossible. Satisfactory
solution was found in a mandatory
ssytem under which, for example.
Great Britain does not annex Meso-
potamia or France the Kameroun,
but each undertakes respectively to
represent the league of nations in
that territory. And 10 administer it.
agreeing to report 10 the league of
nations and pledging itself TO set
up no exclusive economic privilege
for its nationals.
Actually. this means that instead
of owning these territories outright.
various great powers will administer
them, much as France administers
Morocco in theory under the AL
geciras agreement or as Great Bri-
tain has administered Egypt under
no agreement. At this point there
was raised and remaining unan-
swered the question: as to how many
Of the worlds foundlings the United
States will adopt. ConstantinOple
/ has been suggested, Armenia and
Liberia, but the American represen-
tatives in Paris were for obvious rea-
sons unable TO commit the United
States even to Armenian trusteeship,
which is one that offers very great
opportunity for unselfish interna-
| ton service. 1t Will be seen, then,
that in all the great problems it was
| impossible for this Paris conference
to reach a clean-cut decision had
Mr.. Wilson brought a program rati-
| fed in advance by the senate and
endorsed by the people of the United
States. He might have imposed a
very considerable portion of it upon
the nations Of Europe. When he
was unable TO bring such a program
it became clear that no other force
could impose such organization
upon the nations here represented
and that the league Of nations was
inevitably bound to remain a loose
confederation of like-minded ma
tions. destitute Of power, to enforce
it's decisions and condemned 10 rely
upon moral influence.
CONFERENCE BECOMING
LEAGUE OF NATIONS.
Now this will seem to many Amer
leans very small harvest for a very
large sowing, and yet. as l said be-
fore, the fact is that the nations now
in conference in Paris are them
selves in their association and CO
operation becoming day by day more
and more of an effective league of
nations. The fact is that many of
the aspirations for a league of ma
tions are being expressed in the
method and in the spirit Of the
Paris conference. The perfect ma
chine, which was 10 be a world po-
lice force, will not spring fully armed
from this Paris conference, but out
of it's deliberations, decisions and
agreements a very useful oroganiza-
ton for the preservation of world
peace seems likely to emerge. What
/ am trying to make clear is that
Pres't Wilson. by coming to Europe,
exercised a profound influence upon
the course of the Paris conference.
but this influence was not the result
of a careful formula upon a definite
program or a matured and consid-
cred policy. The league Of nations
is not Mr.. Wilson's creation. In a
large sense, ii is no ones creation.
but the result of the conference it
self
When Mr.. Wilson goes home the
discussion OF the league Of nations
Will probably have been completed,
with all the larger questions re
ferred to the appropriate private
committees. whose reports may be
heard and acted upon, and may not.
So far Mr.. Wilson has committed the
United States TO nothing, since he
was unable in the nature of things
10 commit his country. AS a conse-
quence he has been compelled in the
last analysis TO abandon any possible
purpose TO exercise coercion, and he
has rerrained so far from any appeal
TO the sentiments or emotions Of the
masses of people over here. with the
result that the peace conference has
worked in harmony and a real
league OF nations has developed con-
sistently.
OLD DIFFICULTIES
ENCOUNTERED on SCENE.
1t is very hard 20 make clear the
precise difference between what Mr.
Wilson was expected TO do and what
he has done The American people
las a whole accepted the Il points,
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