The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1919-07-10
AMERICANISM WITH PEACE;
NTERNATIONALISM, WAR

fetdFldl WOrk, lHcluuulS the care OF the
archives, is under the complete juris-
diction of England. Is that tendecy
toward peace or war?
Article Z establishes the seat of the
league at Geneva. That means that our
destinies are to be determined by q
court sitting 5000 miles distant from
our shores, only a cable connecting US
with the proceedings, and even that
means of communication subject to
such censorship restrictions as may be
prescribed at the time. Our experiences
during the war have shown how easy
it is for news from across the water to
be denied us when the officials so de-
cree. The location Of the Headquarters
Of the league at Geneva simply means
that the questions of our participation
in world wars, of tremendous taxation
on our people, of life or death to our
soldiers, and of our commercial re-
lations with other nations of the world,
are to be considered and determined be-
hind closed doors, so far as our keep
ing in touch with them is concerned.
Is that state Of affairs likely to pro-
mote peace and contentment, or will
it probably engender irritation likely
to find expression in armed resent
ment?
Article 8 relates to disarmament. 1t
provides that the council, taking ac-
count of the geographical situation and
circumstances of each state" shall plan
reductions in armies and navies Of the
several nations. After those plans have
been accepted they shall not be ex-
ceeded by concurrence of the council.
Here Is the situation proposed: Each
nation submits report of its naval
and military strength to the council of
nine, and those gentlemen, putting their
wisdom of the affairs of all nations
ahead of the knowledge possessed by
the representatives of those nations
themselves, proceed to cut down and
pare away armies and navies accord
ing to their own conception Of national
needs. England, seeing at once the dan
ger of such IN arrangement has made
a reservation that, no matter what is
done, the supremacy Of her fleet shall
not be endangered. The United States,
on the other hand, would be completely
Mt the mercy of the council, dominated
as it will be by eight foreign votes to
our one. Is that a situation into which
you want to project your country, and
aiC VIC BOiiiS W hCttpI Will tQudHlIu-
ity the judgment of that council when
1t orders us TO dismantle our mordern
battleships, remove Notifications from
our coasts and from the Panama Canal
and destroy our army organization that
has been built up at such fearful cost
Do you believe in putting in the hands
of foreigners the power to run riot ad
libitum with our national defenses?
The last paragraph of Article OBJ
ligates the members of the league to
Interchange full and frank informa-
nation" of the condition of such of
their industries as are adaptable to
warlike purposes?" In the last two
years practically every industry in this
country has been working or the sue
cess of our armies, with more or less
direct application to its product to the
actual fighting. This provision of the
covenant means nothing more or less
than the publication of every trade
that enters into the success of Ameri-
can industry. Even patents may be con.
strued to come in the definition of "full
and frank information" Industrially
this paragraph puts our manufacturers
completely at the mercy of foreign com.
petitors who care to take advantage
of the opportunity it affords. Again
do you think such a course is wise
either from your standpoint as an Am.
erican citizen or as q member of hui
CONTINUED on page 4.