The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-25
GERMANS ARE STILL ENEMIES.

The league of nations If adopted will not insure peace
and friendship among nations but will merely prevent
each nation from promptly and adequately defending it
self
The world not as sympathetic and kind as it was in
November, when the fighting was suspended
We take that no one win dispute the first of the fore
going statementsthat the Germans are still enemies
They call the allies and Americans enemies" and deal
with the mas such They perform an act Of treachery
and war by sinking their surrendered feet They will
sign the treaty with the intention of violating fore
ing the league Of nations to amend abrogate it. They
are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to join the league
of nations the purpose Of using the league to destroy
the treaty.
AS to the second satementhat the league of nations
if adopted will not insure peace and friendship among
natons-we have merely to point to the nature OF the
league itself to prove the point to any student of gov
eminent "There is wonderfully little genuine inventive
ness in the world says vscount Bryce in the american
Commonwealth" land perhaps least of all has been shown
in the sphere of political institutions These men 1.-THE
makers Of the Constitution practical politicians who
knew how infinitely difficult business government is de-
sired no bold experiments 1t would be well for every
American at this time to read Bryces american Com
monweath."
The projected league of nations is neither sovereign
nor subject 1t to control the actions Of ma
TONS yet no machinery is provided substitute for
the action of nations 1t supposed to administer in
ternationa law yet no provision is made for ascertain
ing what international law is should be- 1t is vaguely
authorized to draw all nations into yet no means are
provided for conducting war; Financing war, or defining
what each nation shall contribute. 1t is feeble in main
tanning peace but powerful in provoking war; 1t inter
eres with weak nations but bows to strong combinations
It prevents any nation from defending ITSELF but does not
itself furnish prompt defense. quick savage thrust
like that of Germany upon Belgium, is beyond the defen-
sve power and even beyond the imagination of the
league There is no provision whatever for meeting such
an emergency.
The covenant contains pledge by which all the mem
bers mutually undertake to defend each member against
external aggression This pledge, if in effect in 1776,
would have prevented France from aiding George Wash
ngon to achieve American Independence If in effect in
1885, it would have prevented the United States from res
cung Cuba II in effect in 192O it will prevent the allies
from competing OeAmuiy w opSS "AO PN"~S 'S''' "a
Ease the enemy then member of the league, resorts to
treachery.
AS to the third statement-that the world is not as
kindly and friendly it in 1918-we leave to the
eaders own judgment whether American interference
in European affairs has made the allied nations more
grateful and friendly toward the United States We
cave the reader the question whether the allies
H.. Al Ex.l%
We leave him the question whether Germany any
more friendly now than she during the fighting Let
the reader for himself whether Sweden, Swzer
and Holland Span and other neutrals now at heart
friendly to the allies and determined to turn against Ger
many if she violates the treaty The question whether
aters action regarding Shantung need not be asked
Nor it necessary inquire concerning the present tenn
per of the Chinese people, that of the Italian people,
or that of the Russian people, long deserted by the
allies.
Yet there is nothing pesSmistic much less despairng
in this brief survey The situation is what might have
een expected as result of what has been done There
nothing hopeless in the situation so far as the United
ates government and American citizens concerned
Chey have only to exercise patriotism and
UGH as they have always exercised in great crises.
The mghtest force in the world is the United States
is the only great power except Japan that is uninured
by the 1t towers far above Japan any other
pire Its moral influence is potent than war, its
friendship is the sustenance of Europe and its freedom
from all entangements enables it to exert power at
this uncture than all the other nations combined If the
world goes down. it will be because the United States ha
Numbered by eapng into the whirlpool instead of remain
ing the bank and helping its drowning companions.
Americans! Be Americans and nothing else! Do no.
admit into the councils of America any foreigner
bnaton league of foreigners under any pretext what
ever America whas her greatest work to do and