Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-08-28
LEAGUE FULF|LS
AMERICAN IDEAL
Herbert Hoover Says Democra.
cies Replaced Autocracies
at Our Bidding.
FOOD ADMINISTRATION CHIEF.
Urges Ratification on Ground That
Peace Treaty viii Collapse
Without League Of
Nations,

derDers hoover Is so deeply con.
cerned over the opposition to the
League Of Nations in the United
States that he has let himself be in
terviewed at length on the League sit
uatiOn. In talk with the New York
Times correspondent in Paris, the
Food Administration Chief asserts that
having caused the League idea to pre-
vail America cannot abandon IL. We
cannot withdraw, he says, and leave
Europe to chaos. ITO abandon the
League Covenant now means that the
treaty itself will collapse"
Mr.. HoOvers wide acquaintance
with conditions both here and abroad,
his reputation as an administrator, q
man OF great affairs who deals with
facts, not theories. make his state
ment one OF the most important con-
tributions to the recent League discus.
siOns
There are one or two points In con-
nection with the present treaty." said
Mr.. Hoover. that need careful consid-
Grafton by the American public We
need to digest the fact that we have
for century and half been advo-
eating democracy not only as u
remedy for the Internal Ills OF all so.
ciety. but also as the only real safe
guard against war; We have believed
and proclaimed. in season and out,
that a world in which there was q
free expression and enforcement of
70 Of h, t.,t -,
basis OF government. was essential for
The advancement Of civilization. and
that we have proved its enormous hu-
man benefits in our country.
American Ideas Have Prevailed.
1--WE went into the war to destroy
autOcracy as menace to our own and
all other democracies. II we had not
come into the war every inch Of Euro.
pean soil today would be under auto.
cratic government. We have imposed
our will on the world. Out of this
victory has come the destruction of
he four great autocrncies in Ger.
many. Russia, Turkey and Austria and
The little autocracy In Greece New
'Iemocracies have sprung into being In
Poland. Finland. Letvia, Lithuania.
ESthonia. Czechoslovakia. Greater
serbia. Greece, Siberia, and even Ger
AMY and Austria have established
'emocratic governments. Beyond
hese host Of small republics, such
IS Armenia, Georgia. Azerbuijan and
H;hers. have sprung up, and again rs
nf
he constitutions Of Spain, Rumania.
nd even England. have made final
ascent to complete franchise and de-
t,ocrucy, although they still maintain
Il symbol Of royalty.
I'VE have been the living spring for
This last century and half from which
hese ideas have sprung, and We have
riumphed. The world today. except
FOR a comparatively few reactionary
nd communiStic autocracieS is dem
cratic, and we did 1t.
"A man who takes wife and
@esscs the world with several infants
annot go away and leave them on
Re claim that there was no legal mar
age
These infant democracies all have
,olitical. social and economic prob.
ems involving their neighbors that
IRE fraught with the most intense
riction. There are no natural bound
'res In Europe. Races are not com.
act; they blend at every border They
| eed railway communication and sea
Gtlets through their neighbors' terri.
Try.
Many Of these states must for the
"Nt few years struggle almost for
are bones to L'a.ntain their very
';>iStence. Every cue of them Is 60
"- 70 do its best: u protect its OWL
,ere>ts. even To the prejudice Of ito
.Shhors.
Governments Lack Espc rience.
we In America should realize that