The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-10-02
DOES LEAGUE ACCORD WITH WILSON'S IDEALS Marquis Okuma Gives His Views on the Situa-
 tion. NATIONS NOT YET
 INTERNATIONAL President Cannot Command
 World to Con ! form.
By MARQUIS OKUMA. (Japan's Grand Old NIan.O

z "nant of the League of Nations E with the principles put forth 2 resident Wilson, and to what ex- F are his ideals realized in It. E my great regret, the decisions r the Peace Conference concerning .& League of Nations reveal the fact .E tt the thoughts and feelings of s$ cry nation today are still far from s4 .ternationa1 Consequently. these E Principles like mo anneXations, nc gindemniues," freedom of the seas," \ abandonment a of secret diplomacy" Fhave come to naught. "The reduction Sof armaments' does not count for smuch since some nations are already fhastening to build big navies. Self determination of colonies also be. jeanne a worthless principle, and Ger smany had to surrender her former scolonies to the victorious nations ''No findemnities" has proved a failure be- scause of heavy reparation imposed ion Germany. In a word, the Peace EEonference, was the scene of a con- fliCt between nationalism and inter- hationsliSm and as the former won lthe day, the Wilsonian ideals were uu- terly disregarded and defeated. One cannot but express hearty sympathy with the President for this failure However, even MT. Wilson can not command the world to conform to his ideals. The American people them selves opposed them. If he had re- mained faithful to his ideals, the in- evitabIe result would have been inter- E2al friction in America.
 Dream and Reality.
 The Wilsonian opinion, judged by appearances, seems a pedanic dream; and at the same time, from another viewpoint, it may appear. to conceal an egotism ambition of the so-caIIed rule of might But such cannot be the case with President Wilson, 1 am sure. I am convinced that his declar- atiOn was meant to achieve his ideals But, to the bewilderment and dinsap- pointme ment of the President himself and others of the same mind, in the course of the Conference the nation alistic ideals of every delegation on one hand, and internal party spirit on the other overpowered his lofty purpose and his principles were very greatly modified. Though I am sure the League will be recognized by every nation concerned. regret very much that it's first ideals were defeat- ed. must question, whether the Lea que, almost deprived of the lofty ideals laid down by MT. Wilson will be of any service for the mainten- ance of the perpetual peace of the world in the future.
 Nevertheless, the League of Nations is a great achievement Inc GipIoma- cy which has hitherto prevailed is finished. In future foreign policies must be known to the public. Secret diplomacy is already antiquated. The balance of power and the armed peace also. according to MT. Wilson's prin- cipIes, should not exist anymore.
 When, however, We look at the de- cisions made at the peace table though we can observe some progress. 1t must be said that the ideals are still distant; and, contrasted with the settlements of interna tional affairs formerly made, one can hardly dis cern any difference. If this is the case, it is not hopeless to expect a just settlement of internatiOnai ques- ton from the League of Nations, either legally or morally? Again, the most important elements for the eternal peace of the world, such as freedom of the seas, reduction of ar naaments, abolition. of protective tar riffs, etc, are not clearly stated in the covenant.
 Racial Equality.
 Further, the racial equality propo- sal of our delegates was rejected. The tHSlueill III uSl nave dppIpN'I OI OIlT amendment in his heart. That he re- mained, with folded arms, an unccn- cerned spectator must be due to the \ fa ct that he was curbed by circum- stances in his own country and abroad. If the League is truly based on the brotherhood of man. the aboH- tion of racial discrimination must be a logical and natural conclusion. The value of a League which ignored the Japanese proposal can easily be judg- ed.
 NationaIisrn is based on the na- tionaI interests of country. So long as every nation stands on this pr.n- ciple, the elimination of the cases of international discord is impossible. Though the League is supposed to have been formed at the sacrifice of national interests of the Powers con- cerned, yet in the course of the de- liberation nationaIism was so predo- minant that an amendment was re- jected The rest may be imagined
 Cannot Trust the League.
 would not put absolute trust in such a League. I doubt if not only we Japanese but also America and Eng land the originators of the League believe that the eternal peace of che world can be ensured by it. National ism ought to be suppressed. It is often said that America. and England, be- ing democratic nations, the propos- CTS. of the League must be at least satisfied with the principles put forth in the beginning, although the ma5- ority behind them curbed them ano lowered their ideals. It is true, anC heretofore it must be said that the people of both countries still main tain their tribalisnl, nationalism ol nationalistic prejudices and aim al nothing but their interests. Conse- quently; every nation will still have to face others with might, even in de- fiance of internationalism friendship
 and the maintenance of peace depends solely on the restraint and control o1
 might with might. Thus, force vii
 be the important factor instead O law and morality. The weak will, 1T
 the long run, be prey to the strong
 When a strong power appears veal
 nations will combine against it.
 One alliance induces another. Hence
 secret treaties well as diplomatic
 tntrigues will inevitably prevail onct more. The next result will be tha