South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-28

OF The world the minds OF all intel
igent people in all the nations OF
the world are fixed upon one great
issue device 10 put an end to war
This matter has been brought be-
fore the world in a very formal and
definite way. While the war was
still raging. in January OF last year,
the president OF the United States
summoned congress together and in
joint session Of the two houses ne
promulgated IA points upon which
peace should be made. One Of those
Ia points was the proposition that
the nations OF the world responsible
for the future OF the world should
form a league OF nations.
That proposition OF the presidents
was received by the two houses with
tremendous applause. II was re-
ceived by the whole country with
evident approval. Great newspapers
OF both parties promptly gave il
;heir assent. although 1 can name
some that are notable since at
time for some tendency TO backslide.
The legislature OF the state Of New
York, itself republican, on the very
day following the recommendation
Of the president. overwhelmingly
gave II their approval in a joint
resolution passed by both houses
Every nation engaged in the war
upon our side gave It approval. and
IL was months before any note Of
dissent was heard in the United
States.
When Germany asked for terms
and they were presented in the
proper way. the proposition for a
league OF nations was included in
one OF them. and as a part of the
arnistice Germany has asserted to
the formation Of the league or ma
tions. and again, when they granted
the armistice 10 Germany all the ma
tions engaged in this great war put
the stamp Of their approval upon
the idea OF the league OF nations.
Must BE part of Peace Treaty.
When the council gathered in
Paris, one OF it's first acts was for
mally 10 decide that the league OF
nations should be made an integral
part Of the peace settlement. A
commission was appointed repre-
senting IA nations Of something like
a thousand million people and that
commission In February unanimous
ly reported a draft of the consti-
tuition for a league OF nations back
10 the council. For nearly two
months that great constitution has
been before the world, subject to the
criticism. suggestion. and recon-
inendation OF intelligent people
everywhere.
We have, therefore, the case of
the first treaty in history formally
and publicly presented 20 the world
for criticism and comment, so that
il is not a matter being done in an
irregular way or in the dark, but IL
is a matter being done systematical-
" with the fun assent of all the ma
tons involved
Two-Fold Opposition.
Now the opposition that has de-
veloped TO this is OF two-fold char
acter. First. there Is the opposition
OF those who do not believe in any
league Of nations. 1t is unnecessary
20 spend much time with those who
take such an extreme view. who
a hermit nation. taking no part in
the world. The time has gone by
when the United States can be a
hermit nation. It occupies too large
place in the world. IT occupies
the greatest place. the largest space
OF any nation in the world, and when
any war shakes the earth it is
bound TO involve the United States
no matter how long we may
struggle TO stay out Of A.
The other opposition IS the oppo-
sition OF those who say. Yes. we
desire a league OF nations. but we
don't like this league. We desire a
league Of nations but this goes too
far, or this doesn't go far enough,
or it is this or It is that" Now
those who take that critical position
should be classed at once with those
who oppose any league Of nations
because the solemn fact is. after all
the preliminaries which l have de-
scribeI. that it Is this league or
nothing. this league or a return Ia
the old method of war and prepare
ton for war. It is this league or
nothing. and I therefore make no
distinction between those who op-
pose the matter on principle and
those who raise objections TO the
ratification OF this league.
Facts. Not Theories
The time for theories has gone. ]
may have had my theories of what
a league Of nations should be. The
former great president Of the United
states, Theodore Roosevelt earnest
~ and in a number Of speeches, ad-
vocated a league OF nations. a league
OF righteousness. enforced with force
behind Il. Former Pres't Taft is at
the head OF a great organization
favoring a league TO enforce peace
But none OF these leagues, none of
these theories, are before the cOun-
try. are before the world. What is
before the world is a great compro-
mise which has been reached by the
representative OF i nations gath
cred there in Paris. and IL IL is rati-
he'd il goes into effect. IL 1t is not
ratified despair spreads over the
world and we return 20 the old con-
ditions. We cannot amend il when
IL comes 20 US.
Z may not be exactly the league
that we would like. II is not exactly