Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-08-28

The chief purpose Of the League Of
Nations Is to keep the world In q
state Of peace. Another way OF ex.
pressing 1t Is to say that the league
Is designed to prevent wars.
We have Just finished the greatest,
which Is to say the most horrible, Of
all conflicts between nations We
have won a glorious victory. But that
victory will be wasted unless this war
has made the nations ready to
put aside their differences and CO.
operate to end war forever.
1t Ia not enough. however, to pro-
vide for the prevention OF wars and
the settlement Of disputes after they
have arisen. We must foresee causes
they have reached an acute stage.
Hence there must be provision for fire.
quent consultations Of members Of the
league for exchange Of information.
for agreement on common policies and
for the gradual formation of rules Of
international law which at present are
uncertain and Incomplete.
The representatives Of the great
free nations which won the war have
met at Paris and, after long consulta-
ton, have drawn an agreement which
they believe will accomplish these
ends. At the very least 1t will set In
motion great changes which will re-
suit In universal benefit to all man.
kind. This agreement Is called the
Covenant OF the League of Nations
and It Is part Of the peace treaty.
There will be no league worth talk
ing about, however. unless the United
States Is member. The decision az
to whether the United States shall
| Join rests with our Senate. The Sena-
tors, chosen by the people. will in the
| end vote us the people desire. For
this reason the people themselves will
decide whether or not the United
States will join the league. In this
question every citizen should have .
voice. He or she can express opinion
| either by writing direct to Senators.
by letters to the newspapers, by
| speeches in his lodge or local union Or
In conversation with friends.
Methods Of Maintaining Peace.
Since the prime object Of the
League Of Nations Is to preserve peace
and to reap the benefits Of peace
let us see how the league will operate
to accomplish that purpose.
In the first place II will seek to re-
move the main causes Of war. by the
formation Of IN International court II
will create a means for the peaceful
settlement OF disputes between ma
tons Then 1t will seek to compel the
nations to make use OF this court.
This Is nothing more nor less than an
| application of the rules and customs
governing private individuals In civil
ICED communities to the relations be-
tween nations.
Secondly. the Icague.will seek TO re-
move great temptation to war BY
the general agreement to reduce the
size Of armies and navies. This will
halt the race for military and naval
supremacy which was largely respon
sible for the war just ended. The
amount Of armament any nation may
maintain will be strictly defined
Thus 1t will be impossible for one
country to overwhelm its neighbor ny
unexpected attack. In the way that
Germany crushed Belgium and would
have crushed France had not the othei
democratic nations gone to her aid The
idea In that each country may keeI
an army and navy large enough to en-
able II to fulfil it, responsibilities 4.
member Of the League. but no larger
The United States, for example. prob
ably would be expected tn keep 4
check on Mexico aud the STATE of con
slant turmoil In that country would b,
taken into consideration in deciding
how large an army we should need.
The third important safeguart
which the League will set up Is sys
tenn OF penalties This will make al
outlaw Of any nation or group OF M
tons which goes to war In violation
Of the rules Of the League. The o0o