The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-11
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.
Is This Republic Ready TO Become
Part Of u Supernatlon!

Part Of u Supernatlon!V
The subjoined letter from Mr. Sell
den Bacon OF this town to Governor
Smith declining an appointment, made
by Governor Whitman. as an honorary
delegate to the Atlantic congress to
promote the adoption OF a league of
nations states with such clearness
some Of the broader considerations in
volved in the general project, nebulous
still, so far as the country is informed,
that we print 1t here in full.
YorR BxcELLENcr: On December 81 l
received from your predecessor in the
Cubernatorial chair a paper under his
signature and tho privy seal purporting
to appoint me as an honorary delegate
to an Atlantic congress for n league of
nations.
IA far as have been able to learn
what various things are desired by those
who call for a league OF nations. for
they differ so among themselves that it
| is impossible TO secure any definite
! knowledge of what they do desire,
believe any such league so far proposed
TO be distinctly inefficient and undesir-
| able.
| Some seem 70 mean by it mere
treaty OF alliance against Germany. II
| that Is all that is intended by the phrase
league of nations. why not use the
phrase treaty OF alliance which would
not suffer from ambiguity?
As to such treaty. It certainly is
contrary TO our policy of a century and
a quarter and contrary TO the admoni-
tons OF Washngton's Farewell Address,
and would probably tend toward sub
! version of the Monroe Doctrine. But
II circumstances have changed so that
we should no longer be guided by Wash
ingtons words OF farewell, is such a
treaty going 10 be of real value? 1t has
| needed no such alliance TO maintain un-
| broken peace for more than IL century
on our northern border. Is not the I'M
Outstanding OF nations by each other a
far greater bond than any treaty which
becomes mere scrap OF paper" when
any powerful party deliberately breaks
| Il, unless there be back OF 1t n sane
| ton? And such a treaty provides no
sanction that is, punishment by superior
power OF breach No one OF the
schemes proposed so far provides or
prescribes the nature % any real or
effectual sanction.
II we take ths proposal OF league
of nations to mean something more
than n mere treaty and yet less than
the creation of supernation. what
better results can we expect? Every
such league OF nations has always
ended in utter failure, II you will turn
20 the Federallst. the work OF perhaps
our greatest constructive statesmen. you
vii! find there the story OF the failures
OF all such leagues, Of which perhaps the
most famous have been the AchRan.
the Lycian, the Amphictyonic leagues,
the Holy Roman Empire. and, most re-
cent and most familiar OF all 20 US,
our own American Confederation OF the
Revolutionary period.
Every one OF them proved its futility,
and always for the same cause, the lack
Of what lawyers know as a sanction.
that !s. the assurance OF punishment OF
a breach by a superior power
The United States Senator from Ili-
nois has proposed n kind OF sanction
which he apparently thinks novel and
likely TO be efficient. viz. that some two
/
should in each instance OF breach be APP
pointed 10 Cocrcc the recalcitrant mem
Der. But that is only new phase o.
the old system OF the Holy Roman En-
pire, which was a monument OF futility
only equalled by the Concert OF Europe
which the Turk has for a generation
laughed 10 scorn.
Our own American Confederation was
laundering for lack OF sanction within
Ave years after the peace OF 1888 which
Acknowledged our independence. II
could neither enforce its legislation. no,
Collect its taxes, nor pay its bills.
Apparently 10 modern nations. unles:
England and the United States. are sc
well adapted to maintaining a league with
each other as were the Thirteen Colonies
with their similar laws and institutions
and largely Homogeneous populations
Yet chapters Of the Fedcralist are file.
with the necessity OF adopting the new
Constitution 10 avoid wars between th'
several States. and the necessity OF theil
each maintaining standing army un
less II were adopted, and all based OF
the fully demonstrated futil.ty OF the ole
confederation to prevent such neces
SUES. though u was apparently IN
strongest OF all leagues OF natioa
) previously devised. 1t was no Idle fear
It's foundations had just been demon
, strated. Arc our public men forgettin,
, the from IS between Connecticut anc
Pennsylvania which followed the Revo
; luton, 10 which Hamilton referred "a ;
: demonstration Of the futility OF an!
II ere league OF nations. however close
= 10 prevent war between sovereign
! powers? Troubles wherein Connection
= ana PENNSYLVANIA came 10 the verge o
5 actual declaration OF war. many citizen
( being killed in actual hostl.ties
= Troubles finally prevented by othe
l means from ripening into actual forna
t war. but which conclusivcly showed III
= necessity OF IA more perfect union.
= IL the old confederation could not suiiic
= a. safeguard against war between
I Connecticut and Pennsylvania. would
= lcss strong league OF nations be likel
i 10 prevent n new war by Il recuperate
d Germany on France Has human ma
k ture entirely changed in the last fou
a years? Are the arguments OF Ilamilto
[ any less sound than they We're Wa
u not tho treaty guaranteeing Belgium
& integrity a league OF nations?
v II was the genius OF the trainers o
8 the American Constitution that foun
the one workable solution that has eve