The sun., 1919-09-06
Warns Pseudo International
ism Makes Glasses Units of
World Organization.
BLAMEs KAISER FOR WAR
Admits, Nations Are Still In
fluenced by Most Selfish
Considerations.
spccial pespatcA % ann Sos.

statesman. or political thinker can
not speak with certainty of the future"
declared Robert Lansing, Secretary Of
State, at meeting of the American Bar
Association here tonight
Mr.. Lansing then proceeded to pre-
dict the evils that beset Americas path
II we neglect TO embrace that interna-
tionalism which was evolved at YER
sailles and which the American delega-
ton sought TO embody In the covenant
of the League OF Nations. He said:
''Nationalism must be maintained at
all hazards. 1t must not be suppIanted
by Mundanism. 1t is equally imperative
that within the nation individualism
should not be subordinated to classism.
Individualism has been the great inn
pulse TO progress and liberty. lis the
very life blood of modern civilization.
Individual rights, not class rights.
should engage our concern and invite
governmental protection wherever
threatened.
"If we Americans abandon individual
ism we have bartered away our birth
right, we have cast aside that for which
our forefathers were willing to die. The
same is true OF individualism among ma
tiona. It must be maintained II the
peoples of, the earth are to possess pa
triotism. love of liberty and that gener-
Gus devotion to national ideals which
have made nations great and prosperous.
ITO the achievement of this great
good for the present and the future we
should devote our thought and endeavor.
To that end we should give our earnest
support to internationalfsm, a. true in
ternationalism which is founded on
deep and abiding faith In nationalism
as the essential element of the present
order. To-day by common purpose and
by united EFFORT much may be accom-
piished. If we wait for a more .propi-
tious time that time may never come.
1T Is manifest that this war has
given an impetus to what is commonly
termed internationalism, though 1t
would be more proper to call the COM
munistic doctrine Mundanism. This
pseudo internationalism seeks to mako
classes or in some cases individuals the
units of world organization rather than
nations.
IT do not believe that any human
agency could have prevented the con-
fiict through which we have passed so
long as greed and ambition were the su-
preme impulses Of the German autoc-
racy. II the German Government had
not been inspired by these evil motives
and had not believed that II possessed
the physical power to crafty its desires.
who Is prepared to say that the Hague
convention Of 1907 would not have fur
nished q sufficient instrument to settle
peaceably controversies which might
without 1t have produced international
wars?
THE fact is that under present con-
ditions, even with autocracy van
pushed and democracy triumphant, we
have to face the same problems. though
modified by a better conception OF the
truth and a less ruthless disregard OF
right. It Is. believe, a better word,
but by no means a perfect world. Though
less threatened by the sinister influence
OF national avarice we are not free froH
II entirely. I do not know that tie
world will ever be until it is spiritually
regenerated.
I'VE must recognize the fact, unpal-
atable though it may be, that nations
to-day are Influenced more by selfishness
than by an altruistic sentiment of JUS
tice. The time may come when the ma
tons will change their present attitude
through a realization that uniform Jus
tice in foreign as well as in domestic
affairs Is the highest type of expediency.
but that time has not yet come, and, If
we are wise. we will not deceive our
selves by assuming that the policies of
other governments are founded on un-
eelfshness or on constant purpose to
be just even though the consequences be
contrary to their immediate interests.
what Is to become of the rules of
blockade as they existed prior to 1914?
Are we to continue the farce of distin-
gushing between articles contraband
and non-contraband2 What will be tho
rights and duties OF neutrals after the
experience Of the last five years? Will
there be. and can there be, such a thing
as neutrality when a war involves many
nations and skaters the commercial and
social order of the whole earth7 These
are some Of the problems which will have
to be solved by those who will be
charged with redrafting the rules OF
war on land and sea
Does the League of Nations possess
the attributes OF an independent state
so that II can function as a possessor
OF sovereignty over territory? Is the
league then a supernatural world state
clothed with world sovereignty? II the
league possesses the sovereignty can Il
avoid responsibility for the misconduct
Of its agent, the mandatory? If the
league is not capable OF possessing SOW
ereignty, then who does possess II, who
is responsible for the acts of the manda-
tory; and upon what ultimate authority
does the league base the issuance OF q
mandate?
1T was apparent at the very begin
ming of our sessions that certain mem.
bers of the commission were determined
before everything else to bring the
Kaiser to trial for a criminal offence be-
fore an international high tribunal OF
Justice TO be constituted for the purpose
primarily OF determining his guilt and
imposing upon him a suitable penaltu
for his crimes. There were three charges
which could be urged against him
namely. that he was responsible for the
war. that he was responsible for the
violation OF the neutrality OF Belgium
and Luxembourg, and that he was charge
able with the fragrant violations of the
laws and customs of war perpetrated by
the armed forces of Germany.
THE first two charges were the ones
which appealed most strongly TO public
opinion and aroused the bitterest indig.
nation both in Europe and America
1T was by no means an easy task tC
deal with the question of expressing
properly mankinds condemnation of tbs
individual whose inordinate vanity ant
greed were chiefly responsible for the
dreadful misery and waste which tbs
world has endured and rom the effect.
of which It will suffer for many year.
TO come. 1t was difficult TO subOrdinat.
the natural feeling of indignation anC
the instinct 10 40 vengeance TO a cold
dlspassionate consideration of the char
aoter OF the Kaiser's acts and their re
lation to law and justice.
yet one of the reasons that our coun
try entered the war was to bring law
lessness TO an end. We believed tina
an undertaking respect for law IS es
sential to the prosperity and happines,
Of society and that the rigid maints