The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-02-21


Jr, today gave out the following
statement from its Washington Head
quarters:
Never since the United States
Senate was organized under the terms
OF the Constitution has it been called
upon to pass judgment on an issue of
such supreme Importance to the life
and welfare of the Republic as the
League of Nations, endorsement OF
which is to be asked by the President
when he presents the peace treaty for
ratification. Never has it been so es-
sential that the minds of Senators
should rise above the influences of
the time and contemplate the effect
of their action on our future history.
"It is undeniable that the sovereign
ty of the United States is involved if
the country becomes party to the
new League. Just how much of it's
independence it would surrender, and
whether such abdication would en-
danger our future safety can not be
accurately foretold until the concep-
tion of the League assumes mors
tangible form. But that is one of the
problems that must be thrashed out
by the Senate when it has before it
the document in which the League of
Nations is to be outlined in concrete
form, and our part in it's organization
is clearly understood.
"ln the popular mind the League is
generally looked upon in the light OF
our recent experiences in the war. It
is difficult for the average person to
imagine the nations of the wo1n.
aligned together in any way different
from their present association. The
United States, England, France, and
Italy, and number of smaller states
have been on one side Of the great
struggle. Germany, Austria, Bulgaria
and Turkey have opposed them. In
addition many other countries have re-
mained entirely neutral, at least Off
cia-ly. But how long will that sym
pathy of though and acting continue?
Probably not ten years; certainly not
hundred. 1t is an easy matter to ar
range league of nations to fit circum-
stances in the world as they are 70.
day, but if the league is to endure it
must be so organized and it's duties
and limitations so framed as to meet
the ever-changing conditions in inte.
national relations.
ITO act intelligently on such mo-
mentous proposition a Senator should
cast his mind into the future over a
period of at least fifty years. At that
time much of the animosity OCCASION
ed by this war will have passed away.
and new understandings among the
countries of the world will have come
about. Let the new proposal be ap-
Piled to that situation. Perhaps one
of the countries in Mesopotamia will
rebel against undue influence of Eng
land, which, it is understood, will be
given a controlling interest in that
part of the world. If the League fav
ors the smaller nation are we to help
compel the acquiesence of Great Bri-
tain? That is merely one of the in
finite number of complications that
may present themselves, none of
which concerns the United States in
the least.
upon the Senate rests the respon-
sibility of decision. Of course it may
be said that the plan of the League
will have been worked out in advance
by the peace conferees, and the SEN
ate will not be called upon to write a
new treaty. But that does not in the
slightest degree lessen the response
bility of Senators. We cannot believe
for moment that in a matter of such
transcendent Importance to the future
destiny of their country they will be
influenced by the fact that the treaty
represents the combined labors of
representatives from the principal
countries of the world. They will and
ought to be guided solely by consid-
Grafton of the effect of the League
on the welfare of their country, quite
regardless of whether its rejection
will force a reconvening of the peace
congress and rewriting of the trea-
ty."
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE Repub-
llCdH IuDllclIy ASSOCldClOIi, tnTOuSH
its President, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr., today gave out the following
statement from it's Washington Head
quarters.
'Tt is naturally difficult for peo-
pie to distinguish between the govern
ment and the administration of the
government, especially when the ad-
ministrators frequently endeavor to
treat the two as identical. ,Conse.
quently it is difficult for people who
have suffered injustice at the hands
of the administration to get away
from the idea that their government
has done them injustice. In practical
effect, there is little difference, it is
true, and yet there is difference in
principle which must be borne in
mind. Resentment against the admin
istration must not be permitted to de-
velop into resentment against the
government, as is too likely to happen.
"Most people readily distinguish
between the administration and the