Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-10-09
Purpose Of the League.


The chief purpose Of the League of
Nations is TO keep the world in a
state Of peace. Another way OF eN-
pressing il is to say that the league
is designed TO prevent wars.
We have just finished the greatest,
which is to say the most horrible, of
all conflicts between nations. We
have won a glorious victory. But that
victory will be wasted unless this war
has made the nations ready to
put aside their differences and CO.
operate TO end war forever.
Ii is not enough. however. to pro-
vide for the prevention of wars and
the settlement OF disputes after they
have arisen. We must foreSee causes
of trouble and remove them before
they have reached al acute stage.
Hence there must be provision for fire.
Quent consultations of members of the
league for exchange of information,
for agreement on common policies and
for the gradual formation of rules of
International law which at present are
uncertain ana ln'olipIete.
The representatives Of the great
free nations which won the war have
met at Paris and. after long consulta-
ton, have drawn an agreement which
they believe will accomplish these
ends. At the very least it will set in
motion great changes which will re-
suit in universal benefit to all man
kind. This agreement is called the
Covenant Of the League Of Nations
and 1t is a part Of the peace treaty.
There will be no league worth talk
ing about, however, unless the United
| States is a member. The decision as
to whether the United States shall
Join rests with our Senate. The Sena-
tors, chosen by the people, will in the
end vote as the people desire. For
this reason the people themselves will
decide whether or not the United
States will join the league. In this
question every citizen should have q
voice. He or she can express opinion
either by writing direct to Senators
by letters to the newspapers, by
speeches in his lodge or local union Of
in conversation with friends.
Methods Of Maintaining Peace.
Since the prime object Of thu
League Of Nations is to preserve peace
and to reap the benefits of peace
let US see how the league will operate
10 accomplish that purpose.
In the first place it will seek to re
move the main causes of war. BY TIL
formation Of an international court /
will create a means for the peaceful
settlement OF disputes between ma
lions. Then IL will seek to compel thu
nations to make use Of this cOur
This is nothing more nor less than al
application of the rules and custom
governing private individuals in civil
lied communities to the relations be
tween nations.
Secondly, the League will seek 10 re
move a great temptation to war b.
the general agreement to reduce tn
size Of armies and navies. This vii
halt the race for military and nava
supremacy which was largely respor
sible for the war just ended. Tn
amount of armament any nation ma,
maintain will be strictly defined
Thus 1t will be impossible for on
country to overwhelm its neigfbOr b,
unexpected attack, in the way tina
Germany crushed Belgium and wOul'
have crushed France had not the othe
democratic nations gone to her aid. TIL
7 idea is that each country may kce
| an army and navy large enough to Ell
, able 1t to fulfil It's responsibilities q
a member Of the League, but no larger
The United States, for example, prob
ably would be expected to keep
check on Mexico and the state Of cor
slant turmoil In that country would b
D taken into consideration in decidin
how large an army We should need.
The third important safeguar
t which the League will set up Is a sy'
tenn Of penalties. This will make d
outlaw Of any nation or group Of nj
lions which goes to war In violatio
Of the rules of the League. The oui
G lawed nation will be bOycotted by q
the other members of the League an
, will find Itself cut off from both bus
ness and social communication wi,
the rest of the world.
Il How II Will Prevent Wars.
II il not claimed that the League
Nations will do away with war alt
G getiler. Every possible provision tn;
/. human intelligence can devise viii
made to settle international dispute
peaceably. But should all these mea
ures fail and two nations go TO wa
this is what will happen:
II both parties to the dispute hay
observed the rules Of the League, tn
other nations will stand back and J,