The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-25

ut1 d1Lu W LII D6 Il Uitt c bipN u She was about tWenty-three ye the peace of the world. The League of Peace extends the Monroe Doctrine to the entire world.
 It is a matter of indifference to the great masses of American citizens how ardently certain leaders of the Republican party like Senator Lodge, for instance, may proclaim their at tachment to the idea of a League of Nations, if in the same breath they express Unalterable opposition to the
 only plan which makes a League of Nations feasible. Senator Lodge and certain other Republican senators object to the covenant of the League ''in its present form Sen ator Lodge in his debate with Presi- dent Lowell in Boston asserted that he did not expect q satisfactory CO venant to be drawn in Paris. Evi-
 dently Senator Lodge is in favor of q League of Nations if he can draw the
 document himself and he is unalter- ably opposed to it if President Will
 son has any hand in procuring it. The American people will have no diff
 cuity in detecting the artidciality of such a protest. No one who in his
 heart of hearts desires the creation of a League of Nations finds any diff
 culty in giving to President Wilson
 proper support. NIr- Taft and Prest-
 dent Lowell would no doubt have
 framed the proposed League in cer-
 tain details at least somewhat diff
 ferently if the task of preparing it h %rsJ 4n F-TT
 they realize that the present draft is
 a composite structure framed after
 the fullest exchange of views and un-
 animously approved by the represen-
 tattves of fourteen different naaions. This in itself is wonderful achieve
 ment and is a great step in the di- rection of permanent peace. Perfec- ton cannot be asked or expected.
 The real test that we should apply
 to those who discuss the League is q
 determination as to their attitude to-
 ward the project. Is the attitude
 sympathetic and helpful or is 1t par lisan and critical? Is the purpose con structiVe or destructive is an honest attempt being made to forward this great project or is it the purpose to hamper those who are engaged in the
 work so that the whole plan may fall
 into confusion and become inefec- tive? l assert that those who either openly or covertly by bold attack or by insidious criticism are seeking to
 destroy this chance for a World League are engaged in the most Un-
 generous task Of history.
 No League of Peace was in exist ence when this war began and it was only when we formed in haste and very imperfectly 8 temporary Lea que of Nations under unified command that we were able to win this war. We have been acting since America entered the war under a sort of League of Friendship born of war and held together by common neces- sity This association of nations fought the war to a victorious con- clusion and it is this same League of Friendship which dictated the terms of the arrnistice and is about to die tate the terms of world peace. If such d result can be achieved by an informal and temporary aSso- ctation why should it not be con tinued in a more definite and binding form so that the world will not lose
 the tremendous asset which it has gained thereby? It will be difficult for the opponents of the League to
 
 honor is bound up in this project. If America out of her greatness and generosity Is not prepared to take up her share Of the task, but attempts
 to establish a policy of self-isoIation,
 what force is there left to lift up the fallen hopes of humanity? Are we selfish1y to deny to the sorrow and the need of the world this measure of healing?
 We ask for the establishment of a League of Nations because we know that if it Is not now secured, it may remain forever an unrealized dream. We ask it in the name Of the end less debt that has been piled upon the back of a stricken world. We ask it in the name of shattered viI- lages and desoiated fields.
 We ask it in the name of the widows and orphans of all lands. We ask it in the name of fourteen
 million fellow creatures who must creep brokenly through q shattered life.
 We ask it fn the name of the pitiful thousands whose darkened eyes will never gaze upon the sun again and who will know the faces of loved ones only through the touch of grop- ing fingers the only vision of the blind
 We ask it in the. name of our com mon humanii ! ia the name of justice