The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-03-14

that ruined them and their cause.
Washington, as believe, was not an
unusual intellect, among great men,
but was ell around normal, solid, well
balanced, a great character, and in
| the truest scnce a greet mCn, and
a remarkable safe leader So the peo-
pie, if they value their present Gov
eminent and freedom, should emphat-
tically do their own thinking and
ically do their own thinking and
getting in such grave matters as the
proposed League.
AUTOCRACY OF LEAGUE.
An Autocracy is a far more power
full form Of government in itself than
Democracy. And If our desire, in
forming a LIE; que, is to keep the
peace, if we value peace moro than
independence or natural sovereignty;
if we are willing to sacrifice these, for
which our patriot blood has flowed
on hundreds of battle-fields, for
peace; if we love peace more than
independence, then perhaps, it would
be better to have an autocratic,
rather than democratic League.
Our representatives at the Peace
Conference, it seems did not confer
even with our representatives at
Washington as to what should be
the nature of the proposed League.
The people, therefore, had no voice
or influence in constructing the pro-
visions of the League Constitution,
but now we ere told if we do not &C
cept the constitution in totally,
without the privilege of amending
it, that the League will fall through,
the world go to pieces and America
be to blame. Is that democratic? Is
it not rather ovcrhanded and auto
cratic, with application of the big
stick? If you think not, very we'll.
But be assured that if VIC arc forced,
persuaded or tricked into accepting
the League against our will and
judgment, we will be forced to &C
cept its rulings or dictates later, re
gardless of our will or sense of justice
in the matter. When a people once
begins to surrender it's will and pre-
negatives, it is ripcring for master
and the mc1t0r is soon found. This
is not passion, but cool facts and rea-
son, as | intend
The League is to be composed Of
one representative from each mem
Der nation, and an executive counsel
of one member from each of nine
sentative from each nation, great or
small. Not only that, but it will
be thousands of miles from most Of
the worlds peoples, especially from
our people. How much influence
could the peoples OF the world exert
in the League, through one repre-
sentative from each nation, especially
one so vast as ours, and thousands of
miles from the most of them. Does
that look like a democratic League?
Could you conceive of one much
more autocratic in it's formation?
Yes, it could be put in the hands of
one man! Suppose one nation should
send an unusually strong, selfish, and
ambitious man to the League, and
the nations send good, but ordinary
or less strong men. The one superior
man would rule the other members,
and through them, the world. That
would not only be possible, but high
therefore heed up into a complete
world autocracy.
This League, also, is not to have
any supreme court, as VIC have, to de-
eide on the Legality or illegality of
it's rulings. In its sphere, it's power
is to be supreme and its decisions
final. No provisions ere made for
the ratification or reflections of It's
rulings by the states effected thereby |
without perhaps it be about domestic |
affairs. There is to be no recourse, as
understand it, but submission? Is |
that democratic? Would such q |
League make the world safe for |
Democracy? Would it not rather
tend to rob the nations of Demo
cracy? 1t is no agreement to say
that we should be on an equality |
with all other member nations. What |
help or comfort would that be to us?
l had better stop here, but if
have time end The Commercial will
kindly favor me, hope to extend this
argument through one or more issues
OF The Commercial. l hope you will
follow me.
l am not out to provoke any dis
cussion through The Commercial but
if any one should see fit to reply to
me, 1 hope they will do so with facts
and not passion, with reason and not
dispcragoment, with argument and
not ridicule.
| am not one of those who dopri-