Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-26
4 Business Leaders Vieo0 Of
The L eague of Nations.
Y American business man of large

a N American business man of larg
~ attachments and of internationa
= outlook went to the Paris peace con
ference to serve. as an economic expert il
the framing of the great Treaty. He wa
lukewarm toward the idea of league o
nations and rather critical of President viii
son. But as he sat day after day in council
where questions of great moment to HI
own country as we'll as to others were VI
for Observation-Disclosures many of which
though they had their beginning in the war
could not have an end save through years o
peaceful co-working among all concerned
he saw the practical and imperative need 10
a league of nations. Moreover, as he sa
during a period of six months in meeting
where Clemenceau, Lloyd George, Orland,
and Wilson were in conference, sit was
great source of satisfaction and pride to SCI
him (the President) gradually tower aboV'
all others as a moraloand intellectual force
These are the words, and this the experience
of one who is distinctly American in valuin.
ideas for their Workableness and men TO
their deeds He is Mr.. Norman H, Davis,
native Tennessean, whose grasp of bi,
economic problems has made his service t.
the Government highly valuable both in tn
and in its perplexing aftermath Surel.
the conclusions of such a man, conclusion
arrived at through first-hand study of grin
realities, are worth bordering.
In an address recently made at Stock
bridge, MassaG@s~setts, &rd published in thu
Springfield Republican, Mr.. Davis said:
The condition of the world today
is in some respects far more critical and
the problems confronting us greater and
more complicated than during the war.
1t is situation that cannot be met
without intelligent Cooperation and
assistance of the more powerful nations.
Under such circumstances, it is idle to
talk of our withdrawing and leaving
the rest OF the world-particularly
Europe-to work out the difficulties
unaided From a purely material
standpoint, we cannot afford to take
such a shortsighted course. Unsettled
conditions in Europe affect us adversely.
Unless Europe is at work and at peace
we cannot return to and maintain a
healthy industrial life. Even
the solution of the high cost of living
in the United States lies in the increase
of production and saving all over the
: world; but with labor idle in a large
portion of Europe, this is impossible.
The food supplied to Central Europe
through the relief organization has car
ried them up to the harvest, and it is
now expected that they will be almost
self supporting in food. Europe, how
ever, must get to work; yet she cannot
do so without raw materials from US
and credits with which to purchase
thep. Credits will not be available
until confidence is restored and under
present circumstances confidence will
not be completely restored until the
. peace treaty is ratified and there is
some assurance that those countries
seeking credits can maintain their sta
bility. This assurance is contained in
the League of Nations
ic no ind In \
not OF. a doctrinaire or partisan, but OF
1eYel-loOking business man who at first re
Sarded the project of an internatiOna
league, if not obviously certainly withou
enthusiasm. His changed attitude is a result
of coming straight to grips with stubborn
world problems on the solution of which ou
own cOuntryS return to normal condition
waits. Without cooperation between
us and our co-beIligerents, the war woul.
have been lost. Without continued co-opera
ton, peace cannot be truly gained, and Ger
tainly cannot be kept secure. If the nation
that won the war by common counsel ant
united effort had fallen apart upon the sign
ing of the armistice, or had ceased to collab
crate in economic tasks, Europe in all likeli
hood would have gone from bad to worse
and at last to frightful anarchy. Their
would have been no adequate means for sue
coring millions of starving people-n
credits, no tonnage, no food. There woul,
have been no moral props Cor perilous
few for the new Governments in Contra
Europe, the Governments with which tn
Allies. had to deal and on which they had t.
rely in carrying out the practical terms o
peace Who fancies, for instance, that Ger
many would have remained in any wis
tractable or would have given any substantial
measure of support to her democrati
regime, there had not been, and were no
now, what in effect is League of Nations
with its ready array of moral and materia
power? And who reasonably can expect full
fillment of the peace terms yet to be CARRIE
out, or solution of the problems remaining
if that cooperative power for justice be with
drawn?
The biggest part of the task, the mos
exacting and most important part, lies ahead
Thus far we have but cleared the ground an,
made plans and specifications for peace TIL
laying of solid foundations, the building of
structure that will abide and be worthy O
the spirit of man--this is labor, not o
months, but of years and decades, and tn
noblest to which America was ever called
Shall we quit at this crucial juncture, as
faction of the Senate would have us do? Shal
we desert the common cause and make sep
arate peace with Germany, as the Knoxe
and Hiram Johnsons advise? ga separat
peace Mr.. Davis truly declares, "woul,
mean betrayal of our friends who fought s.
Valiantly with to win the war: it WOult
put us in the shameful and ridiculous posi-
ton of ASKING Germany to accept our sep
arate terms; it would require new negotia
tons WiIh,tEe lies to settle quest Ons wE1ri
concern US and which are provided for il