The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1919-09-12

democracy, as a stable form Of govern
ment us we know il, is possible only
with highly educated populations and
a large force OF men who are capable
Of government. Few Of the men who
compose these governments have had
any actual experience at governing
and their populations are woefully H.
literate.
They will require a generation OF
actual national life in peace to de-
yelop free education and skill In gov
eminent,
unless these countries have a guild
Ing hand and referee in their quarrels,
a court Of appeals for their wrongs,
this Europe Will go back to chaos.
IL there is such an institution, rep
resenting the public opinion Of the
world, and able to exert its authority,
they win grow into stability. We can
not turn back now,
There is another point which also
needs emphasis. World treaties hlth-
erto have always been based on the
theory of a balance Of power. Strong
er races have been set up to dominate
the weaker, purify with a view 10
maintaining stability and to a greater
degree with a view TO maintaining oc-
equations and positions for tile re-
dictionaries Uf the world.
The balance of power is born Of
armies and navies, aristocracies,
autocracies, and rea%ctlonaries general
ly, who can find employment and
domination in these institutions, and
treaties founded On this basis have
established stability after each great
war Cor u shorter or longer time, but
never more than a generation.
america came forward with a new
Idea, and we insisted upon It's injec-
ton into this peace conference. We
claimed that 1t was possible to set
up such Il piece Of machinery with
such authority that the balance Of
power could be abandoned as a relic
Of the middle ages. We compelled an
entire construction Of this treaty and
every word and line in it to bend TO
this idea.
Outside Of the League OF Nations
the treaty itself has many deficiencies.
1t represents compromises between
many men and between many selfish
interests, and these very compromises
and deficiencies are multiplied by the
many new nations that have entered
upon Its signature, and the very safety
Of the treaty itself lies In Il court Of
appeal for the remedy OF wrongs In
the treaty.
Benefits Of the League.
"one thing is certain. There is no
body of human beings so wise that a
treaty could be made that would not
develop Injustice and prove TO have
been wrong in some particulars. AS
the covenant stands today there Is a
place at which redress can be found
and through which the goodwill Of
the world can be enforced. The very
machinery by which the treaty is to
be executed, aud scores of points yet
10 be solved, which have been referred
10 the League Of Nations as a method
Of securing more mature judgment in
a less heated atmosphere, justlfles the
creation Of the League.
40 abandon the covenant now
means that the treaty itself viii col
lapse.
ut would take the exposure OF but
a few documents at my hand TO prove
that | had been the most reluctant OF
Americans to become Involved Ia this
situation In Europe. But having gone
in with our eyes open and with a de
termination to free ourselves and The
rest Of the world from the danger:
that surrounded US, we cannot nov
pull back from the Job. 1t is no us,
to hold a great revival and then &,
away FN'AhN - NhtANh AUA NthtihutN
services half done,
I'VE have succeeded Ia a most ex
%traordlnary degree in Imposing upoI
Europe the complete conviction tina
we are absolutely dislnterested. IN,
consequence is that there Is s~earcel,
a man, Woman or child who can rea,
in Europe thar does moi look TO IN
United States as the ultimate sourc.
' from which they must receive assur
anres and guardianship IN the lihertle
which they have now secured ate
so many generations Of struggle.
.Ihls is not o problem OF protectin
r the big nations, for the few that r.
main can we'll look after themselves
, What we huye done is to seJ up
h score Of little dcinOcraeles, and lfth
American people could visualize me
haudiwork tley would INSIST With II
! sulne 1eterm nation that they dig
4 1917 thar our gcs ernmsnt proceed"