The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-06
nIR. LODGE AND THE LEAGUE
(From the Springfield Republican,
Ceeyrtsnr, 1sr%
 by shs MeCIvrs NS~saapsr Syndiuats

solemn agreement in a great world . league for the peace of righteous ness. Senator Lodge. himself, in May. 1916, went so far as to indorse the program of the American league to enforce peace with which MT. Taft is identified. Said the senator:
 "L know how quickly We shall be met with the statement that this is dangerous question which you are putting into your agreement; that no nation can submit To the judgment of other nations: and We must be careful at the beginning not to at tempt too much. l know the diff cultles which arise when We srea k of anything which seems 10 involve an alliance. But l do not believe that when Washington warned us against entangling alliances he meant for one moment that we should not Join with other civilized nations Of the world, if method could be found to diminish war and encourage peace.
 The limit of voluntary arbitration has, I think, been reached. . I think the next step is that which this league proposes, and that is to put force behind International peace. We may not solve it in that way, but if We cannot solve it in that way it can he solved in no other
 In that uuerance of MT. Lodge in l916 we have also the answer to the warning Of MT. Lodge in the Senate yesterday against 'entangIing ali ances."
 Few men have done so much as AIr. Lodge 10 force this country in to its present position with relation to Europe-a position which now seems to alarm him to the depths of his soul President Wilson did not espOuse the idea of the League of Nations until after MT. Lodge did; and when he did espouse it ha was warranted in thinking that he could count on MT. Lodges support. The Massach husetts senator. furthermore. by his attacks on the administration neutrality. helped to carry the coun- try into the war against the central powers and thus to execute ar inter Tention in European affairs that was wholly without precedent and has re- suited in entirely destroying the old European balance of power.
 mr. Lodge went even farther than that in creating the present situation. In his speeches in the last few months he has demanded that the political reorganization of Europe he effect ed ln a particular way. If MT. Lodge was in favor of the return Of Amer ica to the isolation of MonrOeisn Of past generations why has he recently insisted that the terms of peace pro vide for the establishment of the in dependent states of Poland, Bohe mia, Jugo-SIavia, Ldthuanfa and Ar menta, for the separation Of Constan- unople from Turkey and it's mainten- ance by the allies as a free port. for the autonomy of Palestine, the return of Schleswig to Denmark and the neutralizatf ton of the kiel canal? What business of the United States Is It how Europe is reorganiaed if we are to return to our isolation?
 On Dec 21 last Mir. Lodge declared in the Senate: We cannot leave the Jugo-Slays. the Czecho-Slavs and the Poles, the Lithuanians and the other states which We hope to see formed ana marching upon the path of pro gress and development unaided and alone" !
 If I've cannot leave these new states to stand ''unaided and aIonc.'' how can we possibly return to the old national policy of isolation which 1 MT Lodg- has suddenly and strange 1 " begun to prize? It is more than ! inconsistency on the part of MT | Lodge; It IS assertion he is guilty of |
 IT IS impossible to understand how any intelligent and well informed | american can deny that in order to i make effective MT. Lodges own pro- | gram Tor the political reorganization l or europe the league of nations has 1 no" become indispensable. For Uni | teo states to say how the map of | europe shall be remade; to say what 1 snail De done to the Poles, the Lith- udhlans' the Czecho-Slovaks, the 1 Jugo-Siovaks, the Armenians. Con | stantihopIe, Schleswig and the kiel | canal, and then to announce that the l United States washes it's hands of Flu | rope that Europe must mind it's own l business and the United States will | mind It's owR business in the future
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