Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-15
&c -PHIIADEIPH1A SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15

body OF officials representing the va
rious governments, the peoples OF the
world would not be sure that some Of
the mistakes which preoccupied ON.
cials had admittedly made might not
be repeated.
ut was impossible to conceive a
method OF an assembly so large and
various as TO be really representative
of the great body OF the peoples of the
world because. as I roughly reckon it,
we represent as we sit around this
table more than twelve hundred mil.
lion people.
1900, ,O0O, 900 People
you cannot have a representative
assembly of 100000 people, but
IL you leave it to each government to
have, IL it pleases, one or two or three
representatives. though only with a
single vote, 1t may vary its represen-
tation from time to time not only,
but It may originate the choice OF its
several representatives"
Cwireless here Hhintelligible.)
Therefore we thought that this
was a proper and q very prudent con.
cession TO the virtually universal
opinion of plain men everywhere that
they wanted the door left open 20 a
variety of representation, instead Of
being confined to a single official body
with which they could or might not
find themselves in sympathy.
And you will notice that this body
has unlimited rights of discussion
1 mean of discussion of anything that
falls within the field Of international
relation--and that II is especially
agreed that war or international mis-
understandings or anything that may
lead to friction or trouble Is every.
body's business. because it may affect
the peace of the world.
"And in order TO safeguard the popu.
lar power so far as we could of this
representative body, IL is provided, you
will notice, that when n subject is sub
mitted, it is not to arbitration, but TO
discussion by the executive council. 1t
can, upon the initiative OF either of
the parties TO the dispute be drawn out
of the executive council on the larger
form of the general body Of delegates;
because through this instrument we
are depending primarily and chiefly
upon one great force, and this ie the
moral force of the public opinion OF
the world--the pleasing and clarifying
and compelling influences Of publicity;
so that intrigues can no longer have
their coverts, so that designs that are
sinister can at any time be drawn into
are destroyed by the light may be
promptly destroyed by the overwhelm-
ing light of the universal expression
OF the condemnation Of the world.
"Armed force is i'm the background
in this program, but II is in the back
ground; and II the moral force Of the
world will not suffice the physical
force of the world shall. But that is
the last resort, because this is in
tended as a constitution Of peace, not
as a league OF war.
Document "Vehicle Of Life"
"rhe simplicity OF the document
seems TO me TO be one of its chief
virtues, because, speaking for myself,
1 was unable to see the variety OF CIR
cumstances with which the league
would have to deal. I was unable,
therefore, to plan all the machinery
that might be necessary TO meet the
differing and unexpected contingent
cies. Therefore l would say of this
document that 1t is not straight
jacket. but a vehicle of life.
"A living thing is born, and we must
see to II what clothes We put on it
now 1t is not a vehicle of power,
but a vehicle in which power may be
varied at tho discretion of those who
exercise it and IN accordance with the
changing circumstances OF the time.
And yet, while it IS elastic, while it
| is general in its terms, ii is definite in
the one thing that we We're called to
make definite II is a definite guaran.
| tee of peace. 1t is a definite guarantee
against aggression. 1t is u definite