Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1919-05-20
A DEyILIsu DELAY.

~ its preamble the covenant OF the League OF Nations
d informs the world that the league is established lin
order TO promote international cooperation and to
achieve international peace and security
To bring about this millennium Articles 20 NVll in
elusive prescribe the that is to be followed in
the event OF dispute" likely to lead 10 war. As the
announced purpose the league ito achieve inerna-
tonsl peace il TO be presumed that every possible con
tngency likely interfere with that object was fore
by the authors Of the covenant and provided against
Therefore no matter what dangerous international
situation may develop the future TO look for
remedy in the league covenant
Now IL has happened frequently in the past. and in
an probability viii again in the future that the
FIRST inimaiion a country has had Of impending
was when its territory had been actually invaded by
foreign foe
Especially is this true in Of conquest
History is repee with examples Of ambitious mon
archs anxious 10 add 20 their rcnown or to extend
the limits Of their domain who have simply abroad
and conquered Whatever countries they could lay their
hands on and subdue.
The most modern instance OF this is the very that
have
Il is true that there negotiation between
Germany on the one hand Russia France and England
on The other before the conflict about forty
nations more less, involved In it.
some Of them had no warning Of what coming
until they felt tho tread Of the marching armies.
What is 10 be done in the Of sudden invasion?
The andae must ne IN inc lcaguc because the league
is To prevent
Its trainers say
By careful reading Of the covenant articles dealing
with war ind that the FIRST thing TO be done for
the secrciarlat to get the council together.
The league take measures that are not author
ased by the council and there is provision that the
Invaded nation can take any steps whatever TO defend IT,
saf: in fact IT, also. is absolutely under tho dciation
OF the council.
Inasmuch as members Of the council must go to
Geneva from as far away Brazil and Japan the
rctarst will be very lucky nc corrals tho whole nine
within a period Of three weeks.
Atd nothing be done until they al there, for
their. unanimous action is necessary.
without going into tresomc details 10 Is sufficient to
say that the council dclberaes inquiries into the crcum
sancs OF the dispute and makes recommendations to the
membsrs OF the league TO what better be done.
Meanwhile invaded state sits by and witnesses the
destruction of s property, and the murder Of its ma
tonsls.
OF crse friends Of the league will rdicule the idea
that the league deprves nation Of the right of self
protection but we challenge them to show where such
right is given and II n not expressly taken away I'm
Articles XVI and XVII
What would have happened to the world had Belgium
been compelled TO submit to such absurd restrictions
when IL was attacked in 1911?
BY all rules of international law she was safe, her
neutrality guaranteed by the very nation that invaded her
Yet three days before the disaster fell upon Belgium
she was handed ultmaum demanding passage through
her territory for the German armies.
Had the League Of Nations been In existence and
surned jurisdiction over the situation all would have been
lost for Belgium and for civilization in general