Evening journal., 1919-03-26

According to all the Paris dispatches,
President Wilson has authorized the
statement that the league Of nations
plah is to be an integral part Of the
peace treaty. II this be true. we re-
gard it as a deliberate attempt 70
drsgoon the Senate OF the United States,
and as such, a logical and fltting eli
max to the whole discreditable course
OF the Paris conference. 10 is the
familiar trick Of the rider" The peo-
pie Of this country want the peace
treaty signed and out Of the way. the
business interests being especially i'm
patient Of delay. At the same time,
they are very imperfectly informed
about the implications Of the league
covenant. and reluctant to wade
through the diplomatic jargon which
half-conceals. its sinister purposes,
Peace, too, is the immediate considera-
ton; the matters canvassed in the
covenant appear remote II the Senate
refuses to ratify a treaty Of which the
covenant is an integral part, 10 must
carry a fearful burden Of obloquy for
obstructing peace; and this. apparently.
IS Just what the meanoeuvres reported
from Paris have in view. We may be
quite sure, too. that every agency at
the disposal OF the Administration will
do its utmost 30 manufacture and
strengthen public sentiment against the
opposition OF the Senate; and this.
again, is quite as Il should be- II is
quite appropriate that this measure
should prevail. II it does prevail. wholly
by force Of false pretence. indirection
and dragooning. rather than only in
part. This alliance Of victorious gov
ernments, masqusrading under the pre-
tentious lyins title Of a league Of ma
tions. organized for sheer economic eXi
plOitsti0n, has nowhere in its constl-
tuition sincerity enough to make fitting
one single inch Of furtherance by aid
Of any honorable means whatsoever. 1t
should continue and end under no
other than the auspices Of its beginning.
We must make it clear at the outset
that we do not discuss the general idea
Of a league OF nations. AS 10 that. we
spoke fully in our issue Of March s.
We believe that a league Of nations is
inevitable, and that it will come auto
matically and spontaneously. by means
which politicians do not contemplate.
The removal Of economic barriers and
the restrictions now imposed by polit-
ical governments upon industry and
trade, would, we believe. at once. effect
the same free economic union among
world States that how prevails among
the United States Of America; and we
think that a free economic union is the
only one that will have stability or
permanency. What may be done by
way OF further political union. or closer
political association, among world
States, we do not know. While we are
skeptical about 70, we are aware that
many able minds are in favor OF try
ing IL, in a belief that some good
will come out OF the attempt
We wish TO refrain from any dis
souragement Of this optimism: hence
we must,be understood as saying moth
ing unfavorable at this time about the
general aspiration toward league Of
nations. We merely wish TO expose the
character Of the particular proposal
which President Wilson brought back
from France, and which he apparently
intends, If he can, TO compel the Senate
90 ratify. We do this the more freely
because the very aspiration we men
ton. the pacific and friendly instinct Of
mankind, can be so easily perverted TO
support this proposal by reason Of the
fact that it bears the name OF the
thing aspired 10. No trick Of the poll
ician is more common than this; this
70 was, for instance. which foisted
bogus reform Of the nominating sys-
tenn on the people Of New York State