The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-18
URGES TRIAL
OF THE LEAGUE
Secretary of State Lansing
Says to Reject Would
Be of Bad Effect
WOULD DISCOURAGE
UNITY OF ACTION
Even Though Covenant May
Have Faults 1t Ought
to Be Ratified

Albany, n. Y, Oct, 49, Secretary of
State Lansing pleaded for the adoption
Of the league of nations in its present
| form IF for no other reason than that
| to reject it would be to discourage flu
ture attempts to obtain unity of action
among the nations in an effort to avoid
international conflicts in an address
on "The Power of Democracy" before
the New York university regents here
last night. Secretary Lansing expressed
the belief that "if every nation was a
democracy in reality, as is this repub-
lic universal peace would be an accom-
plished fact and not a goal toward which
the world looks with longing eyes striv-
ing to devise methods by which it may
be attained.
Until democracy becomes the stand
ing policy of civilization, other means
to insure to the world continuing state
Of international peace must be found"
the secretary said, in recommending that
the league of nations be given a trial
in its present form Admitting for the
faults and undesirable features which its
bitterest opponents have raised against
the covenant, | am prepared to say that
it ought to be adopted and tried, for it
represents to-day an international con
cert devoted to peace"
"The United States, / am convinced, .
he continued, will not be the nation
to check this movement or to discourage
the civilized states Of the earth from
seeking by united purpose and counsel
TO restrain the use of force in the set
the league fails to accomplish its OBJ
jects, then is the time by amendment to
make the covenant more efficient. Such
action as that which was taken by the
conference at Paris when it adopted the
covenant makes for peace but does not
insure its permanency. 1t is power.
full agency but not an all.powerful one
The only certainty of unbroken peace in
this world believe, lies in the general
adoption of democracy as the supreme
political principle of all nations
Calling attention to the new problems
which confront the country, the secretary
issued a warning against the doctrines
Of Glass Imperialism"
To-day" he said, "the rights of par
tieular classes over other classes of the
population are being preached in our
streets, and appeals to selfishness and
envy and to ignorance, under the guise
Of justice, are being sent broadcast
throughout the land. Apostles of i'm.
rest and even of revolution as we'll as
Others less radical and more sincere,
taking advantage of the industrial and
commercial confusion resulting from the
war, are seeking converts TO doctrines
which aim to grant special privileges to
certain groups of citizens and to deprive
Others Of those private rights which are
inseparable from the American concep.
ton of individual liberty.
Democracy is in danger from within
rather than from without the body poll.
tic," he declared. again we Americans
are called to the defense of an American
principle which is being attacked not
only by insidious foes but by friends
who fail to see the wrong which they
are doing We must meet this new at
tack with the same unyielding and eour.
dStUuS sHltib dc JHhb Win WHICH our Sol
diers met with the Germans on the soil
of France.
II believe he continued, 'that reali-
cation Of the present danger will again
call forth the best there is in this re-
public and we win succeed in overcoming
those who seek to pervert democracy by
injecting into it species of class impe-
rialism which is more attractive than the
ancient forms because it appeals to those
who have suffered in the past from in
justice and from denial of that equality
Of opportunity which it is the duty of
democracy to maintain.
The dangers, as / see them, are in
disposition to compromise the principles
of equal rights with the demand of spe-
cial rights; an apparent willingness to
conciliate by concessions in order to