The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-09-11
The Worlds Next Step
Is the League OF Nations . Workable
Plan?
q cLARENcE = SPEED

the ratification of the peace treaty
containing the draft of the league of
nations as it stands, scarcely a single
responsible American statesman has
come out fatty against the principle
Of league to enforce peace.
Many have expressed serious doubts
as TO whether or not it would work.
Others have said that this was not
the time to establish it. and that it
should wait until after peace was
signed. Still more have pointed out
this difficulty and that; and, because
the American people are very largely
headline readers, the impression has
gone out that a great number of sena-
tors are unalterably opposed to any
sort of a league of nations whatso-
ever.
There is no doubt that some of
these objections to the ratification
providing for a treaty are sincere.
Some of them may not be. But the
fact remains that nearly all these
statesmen who depend upon the
people for votes have left open a way
of retreat so that, if it finally devel-
ops that public sentiment demands
the league it can never be shown that
they were unalterably against it.
There are many, on the other hand,
who have so definitely committed
themselves to the idea of a league of
nations that they leave no 1OOphOle
through which they may crawl if the
idea is not favored by American vot-
o4
convictions. They are so sincere that
they are ready to stand or fall on
their records.
Such man is William Howard Taft,
formerly president of the United
States. By no stretch of the imagi-
nation could he be considered as back
ing a league of nations favored by
President Wilson through partisan mo-
tives. Here is what Mr.. Taft had to
say in a public speech at Helena,
Mont, the day after he had had tie
opportunity of reading the draft of
the constitution of the league of ma
lions as cabled from Paris:
"As lovers of your country and as
lovers of mankind I ask you to use all
your influence with our senators to
have the treaties embodying the
league of nations idea ratified. It is
a real league of nations. 1t is not all
that I wished, but comes near. It is
a great deal better than I hoped. It
contains within its terms provisions
for its own growth. Indeed the ext
gencies Of the European situation in
the sphere of the league will probably
require additional and more stringent
provisions in some respects than APP
pear in the present plan"
"There should be no doubt of its ap-
proval by the senate when it is en-
bodied in the treaty"
Mr.. Taft evidently is convinced that
the league will work. President Will
son believes it will work. Lloyd
George believes it will work Even
Clemenceau of France believes it will
work. It has the complete support
of the Italian government, which be-
lieves it will work. The little nations
turn to it as their only hope of safety.
They believe it will work.
If all of these people and these ma
lions believe the league will work how
can it fail TO work? The only appar-
ent chance of its failing to work would
be in case there were enough strong
powers against it, while it is young
and untried, to keep it from working
But here you find the powers all for it.
Who is going to try to upset it-some
power like Liberia, or a beaten and
many now hopes it will work and work
in hurry, for without it there is no
limit to the penalties that victorious
neighbors might impose.
And the peoples of the world, even
more than the governments, want it
to work. Mothers and fathers whose
sons are buried by the million on the
battlefelds of Europe are for it.
Women who have suffered violence at
the hands of invading armies, or who
have fed headlOng from their homes
to avoid it, pray that it may become
operative. WOrkmen who are hungry
because factories are closed see in it
a preventive of wars. People who
have seen their savings jeOpardized or
swept away stand behind it.
No one, apparently, wants it to fail
yet there are some who doubt its sue
cess because. by careful searching,
they can find difficulties in the way
They may be of good cheer, and you
may rest at ease, too, because, if by
any chance this league which every
body wants should fail to work, thert
is nothing to prevent you fighting TO
your rights just as you did in the past
The United States faced a world IL
arms with very little preparation foi
war. She can face a world leagueG
for peace with an army or navy just
as large or small as she chooses. There
is not even the most remote proba
bility Of the United States ever fight
ing the league, unless it, too, becomes
insane and needs a licking. If it does
become necessary for her to fight ma
tons which cannot be controlled by
the league, there is nothing to prevent
her from doing so.
Further information regarding the
league OF nations, including pamphlets
of the covenant of the league and
speeches made in it's behalf, may be
obtained at the office of the Illinois
e4aTa branch of the I eaaue IN Enforce