New-York tribune., 1919-04-25
The Clearing Air

atmosphere is forming IN this country
with respect to the Paris endeavors. We
90 not expect miracles We do not ex-
pect an advocate of the league like The
Philadelphia Public Ledger, for in
stance, to concede frankly that it was
mistaken, that the league as now drafted
cannot possibly do the things that the
American people were led to expect of
II; IS, IN short, not at all the league
which, we were assured, had and must
come. Still we think it a hopeful sign
when The Ledger yields this much of
ground:
The men who dreamed Of league"
which could command peace-and un-
doubtedly there were such-may have
been IN advance of their time 50 much
the worse for the "time" and for the
generations which must pay in blood for
its lack OF faith
For column and more The Ledoer
argues that the league survives as a
true league of nations, and never once
does 1t assert that it possesses the least
power to halt a war 1t presents the
mandatory system, It presents the solu-
ton of the panSig problem II presents
series of what may at best be called
MINOR aids to peace. II abandons utterly
that earlier conception Of the league
which led Secretary Daniels to rank il
with nothing less than the birth of
Christ
80 runs all the comment It is an
unpleasant awakening for many. The
disappointment to countless Americans
Will be vast. But Americans faced an
unpleasant truth in the spring of 1917.
and they can face another in the spring
Of 1919
1t was always the sham latent in the
carrier advocacy of the league that
spelled danger Concede now frankly.
as The Ledger is doing, that the ideal
lists were mistaken and that league to
command peace is humanity impossible.
and the fundamental peril of the leapue
is banlshed. 1t becomes at once possible
tor the whole country to discuss it intel.
lgently, to examine it upon it's merits
and decide whether or no it will helm the
cause of world peace
The Tribune hopes profoundly that
when the document is published it will
prove to be a genuine step in advance,
real and new aid to peace. We do not
expect the radicals, disappointed of their
true league, to approve it. We do not
expect any one who hoped for the mil
lennlum from it to be pleased But SOL
dlers IN the Great War did not fight for
the millennium. They fought at times
as Mr.. Philip Gibbs has said for an ele-
walton eighteen inches in heipht. Such
was their slow and costly warfare. Such
IS the way Of all human progress. The
mountain tops of perpetual peace cannot
be rushed IN few weeks by few lead
ers, however fine their purpose. The
most we can expect is a measurable ad-
vance that will command a new nosit;on
Oh the enemy and enable our children
and their children to push upward even
further
That is the spirit in which we con-
ceVe the work of the peace conference
must be viewed. There is apAcement
now that the league must be reinforcod
ny vigilance committee of law-abidng
states. Even so, the league may we'll. if
properly organized take up the work of
the Hague tribunals and carry the proc
esses OF international order forward in
'her natural and slow evolution.
1he methods by which the league has
heen drafted are, unfortunatcv o,o;,e4
'ls meeting these needs. What was draft
eo as charter for compelling world
peace must now undertake the humh]er
TASK ol slowly developing the prjncinlos
o' world order, That is the tragedy of
'"V leauefsh'p, We revert To the CO
een' criticisms of the original draft mt
'oFWaNn ny Mr. Root, One of his most
pregnant demands was for Legislative
hooN W develop at regular intervals .
W." code or international law. This ue
e"nee'Ve 70 he one Of the NEST urgent
heeds and the original draft made no
p'oN'sioh Tor any such bpaeedure. Wa
hope 'l''s primary need has Al laast beee
met '' oVe'
Ne fundamental miseoneentieo wa,
as to the identity of tho epenv "a ~
aous"' nat enemy was war, alwnys
war; IN the minds Of The traftnrs ,r ti,o
'eague' In fact, the enemy is aud al
ways must he WRONG and injustice. Civc,
an international bill of rights expressing
the moral resolves of the civ;l;vod ,,,.'
eIs, .', ana the enforcement of those rights
Will inevitably be accomplished with
MINIMUM of force and warfare Tb.
machinery will develop readily eno,nt
mat is the smaller problem. The great
and commanding problem is to devolon
and organize the worlds will to do riob.
PURSUING that goal, we shall find all tbo
peace that is possible short of the mil