Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1919-03-05
The League 4 at Nations.

other nation in the world, at the pres
ent time, the one proposing the forma-
ton ola League Of Nations for the pur-
pose ct establis fishing international JUS
ttee and comfy, reducing ornaments
and preventing future wars, is by far
the biggest and weightiest, af-
fecting as it will, the veal or woe of
mankind, for genera lions, perhaps for
all time to come. People all over the
world are hoping and longing that
some way may be found whereby a
repetition Of the bloody drama that
has disgraced civilization during the
past four years, may be avoided. Men
may differ ,and do differ, as to!methods
fOr reaching this much desired end, but
there can be no difference in the minds
OF @sane and civilized men as to the
desirability Of banishing war and pro-
Viding some other way Of settling dis
putes among the nations. f.
::ssSY We had the privilege Of attending
several sessions of the Northern Con
gress for League of Nations held at
Minneapolis on February ~ and IL,
and had the pleasure to listen to elo-
Quent addresses on the subject by Hon.
William Howard Taft, former Presi-
dentxof the United States; Dr.. A..
Lawrence Lowell, President of Har-
ward University Hon. Henry Morgen-
THAI, formerly Ambassador to Turkey {;
Hon. Henry Van Dyke, formerly Min
lister to the Netherlands; DR.. George
Grafton Wilson, Professor Of Interna-
tional Law at Harvard University; Mr..
Edward A. Filene, Director Chamber Of
Commerce, U. S. A.; DR.. M. L. Burton,
President of the University Of Mime
Church of Incarnation, Minneapolis;
DR.. Charles r. Brown, Dean of Yale
School Of Religion; Hon. John Lind,
former Governor of Minnesota, and
other eminent men. The burden OF
nearly all the addresses was that the
formation Of "a League of Nations was
an absolute necessity for the future
peace, security and happiness of the
peoples Of the earth, and to the end
that the late war shall not have been
fought in vain. President Taft pre-
sided at most of the sessions. He is one
among the first and foremost advocates
Of the League of Nations idea in this
country. Mr. Taft appears to be young
er and more alert, active and energetic
now than when he was president. His
speeches were full of vim, and as pre-
siding officer he always managed to
hold the large audiences in good humor
by his sallies of wit.
That the people are very much inter-
ested in the League of Nations move
ment may be inferred from the fact
that the large Minneapolis Auditorium
was we'll filled during the day sessions
and at the evening sessions standing
room was at premium. The object OF
holding the big peace meetings in Min
neapolis and other large centers of pop
ulation throughout the United States,
is primarily to arouse public sentiment
in favor. of a League of Nations. It
would seem that such effort ought not
to be necessary. - al
On February Il, the Allied Peace
Conference in session in Paris reported
a draft Of constitution for the pro-
posed League of Nations. Representa-
tives Of fourteen nations had taken
part in formulating this constitution,
which President Wilson had the honor
toaread at the plenary session. To him
also belongs the credit Of having pushed
the League of Nations idea to the front
atSthef Peace conference and to have in
sisted that the creation Of a League of
Nations be linked with the treaty of
peace, sthe concluding of which is the
real mission of the delegates assembled
in Paris. After the League of Nations
constitution had been agreed upon
President Wilson Immediately set sail
for America, hoping to so impress the
u. s.. senate that that body would
ratifys the proposed constitution before
the, djournment Of Congress But his
plan miscarried.:. Strong opposition to
many of the provisions of the pro-
posed constitution for a League of Ma
tons developed among the Republican
senators. Among: other short comings
tits claimed that in its present form
the Monroe doctrine will be abrogated.
While there may be some truth in the
assertion that the Republicans are
playing politics, yet when such men as
Senators Lodge, Borah, Lenroot, Mr..
Knox, former attorney general Of the
United States, and others, raise their
voices in opposition, there must be some
forceat to the criticisms that are offered.
Their oppositionNis not to the idea Of a
League Of Nations, but to the form Of
the proposed constitution. President
Watson, we believe, has acted undi-
Dramatically, if not unwisely, in not
taking the q. s. Senate into his con
f1dence, Knowing, as he does, that that
body has the power to ratify covenants
and treaties with foreign nations. Re
publican majors have been flagrantly
ignored. It is therefore not surprising
that about forty republican senators
pledged themselves to oppose ratidca-
ton sc the league constitution III Its