The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-09-11
The Worlds Next Step
NO.
what Is Our Duty In Connection VIII
the League Of NaffOnsS
q cLARENcE Il spErn

VIII any action on my part have any
hnuence on the forces that are now
settling the destinies of the world 90
Every citizen of the United States
has duty to perform now, in copnec-
uon with the league of nations, Just
as urgent as he had when we were at
war You did not hesitate to do your
part then just because you were only
one of a hundred million and On tbe
theory that any little saving or invest
ing or working that you could do
would have little effect toward de-
feating Germany
Every individual citizen is represent
ed in Washington by a senator. You
may not know him; may never have
seen him. Nevertheless he has some
respect for your opinions; he wishes
TO win your vote once more. If he did
not respect the opinions of his con-
stituents he would be a queer person,
for he is sent to Washington TO carry
out the wishes of the majority of the
voters.
Now the United states senate is the
body which has the power to ratify or
reject treaties. The British premier
has promised to submit the peace
treaty TO parliament for its approval.
too; but he has just had an election
and knows where parliament stands.
When the representatives of all or
most of the other nations sign the
treaty of peace, that is all that is nee
essary. 1t then becomes operative.
But America will not be at peace
with Germany nor will it be a mem
Der of the league Of nations until the
senate has ratified the treaty. IF the
senate should refuse to ratify it, we
would then be in the position of being
at war when all the remainder of the
world was at peace, and of being out
side Of a league of nations which en-
braced most of the other important
countries.
"Is it possible" you may ask, that
the senate could fail to ratify a treaty
and thus leave US out in the cold? Are
we ready TO stand alone in this fed
Grated world? Can we assume ;he
role of China and build a wall of OK
clusiveness around us?'
Looked at in that light it does not
seem possible; yet when one listens to
the speeches made daily in the senate
it does seem as though many senators
are far from ready TO vote for the
treaty which contains Il provision FOR
a league of nations. They may believe
that they are backed by the voters. II
is our duty as voters TO let them know
whether they are carrying out OuI
wishes or rot.
In this series of articles there has
been no attempt TO present an argu-
Jnent that the constitution of the
league Of nations as it stands is per-
feet document. There very likely is
room for many improvements. If
there were not. it would be an eXcep-
tion to every othc: constitution ever
adopted.
Condition may arise Il decade Oh
century from now of which we can
have no conception at this time, any
more than the franers of the Ameri-
can Constitution could have foreseen
the developments of today.
But there can be no doubt that the
world, as whole, now disapprOves of
war and denies the necessity for war
and that the league of nations as now
proposed is a sincere effort to do away
with the danger of war.
There is every reason to believe that
it stands more than a fair chance of
succeeding, while it is so drawn as to
present few if any perils that we have
not always had with US if it fails to
succeed.
The constitution of the league does
not prevent the United States from
reason that the United States has nc
designs on the property of its neigh
bors.- 1t does not impose any new bur
tlenS upon US comparable with the war
debt which has just been heaped on us
through no fault or desire of our own.
The league may call upon the United
States TO do its part in governing some
of the backward portions of the globe
until they are ready TO govern them
selves. This may entail some expense.
some trouble, possibly some small loss
of American lives, as in the case of
the Philippines, but nothing in COM
parison to the losses in men and money
sustained in our participation in what
was for US only the flag end of a great
world war.
Livery Hull uluSl uC Ills uuly III nAS
own community, if he expects good
government If he believes in the
league Of nations, it is his duty now to
let his representatives. in the senate
know IT. If he does not, it likewise is
his duty to make his beliefs known.
The plain people, the world over,
are letting it be known that they are
against international war. Most OF
them believe that the league OF ma
tons is now the one way to prevent it.
If you so believe, you are not doing
your duty, unless you let your senator
know that you want the treaty rati-
fed.
Illinois senators are Medin McCor-
mick, III West Washington street,
Chicago, H., and Lawrence Y. SheE
man, Springfield, III. Communications
may be sent them at these addresses.
Further information regarding the
league of nations, Including pamphlets,
may be obtained at the office of the
Illinois state branch CT the League to
Enforce Peace, s42 Monadnoek block
Chicago, III.