The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-04
The Mountain in Labor-What Sort
Of Mouse VIII It Be?

The present week may or may not
witness the disclosure Of the true in
wardness of that League of Nations
for the sake Of which the President Of
the United States has quit his accus-
toned post Of duty and addressed
himself to the populations OF three
foreign countries during the past
SIXTY days.
1t is coming to be believed by many
people that President WILSON went
abroad without any distinctly formu-
lated plan for such league; in other
words, that his position all along ms
been that Of the opportunist rather
than that of the prophet and pro-
moter. If 1t were the case that the
President had been mounting gener-
.alities on the subject only In order that
he might claim a triumph for this one
of his fourteen principles. whether
the result at Paris were a practical,
definite scheme OF supernatural con-
troll or merely a vague Endorsement
of an idealistic principle" meaning
no more for the peace of the world
than the Hague project has meant.
the fact would scarcely demonstrate
his sincerity OF purpose, however IT
might increase our admiration Of his
political dexterity.
We are not prepared to believe that
president WILSON'S original concep-
lion OF a League OF Nations contem-
plated anything short of the establish
ment of m international authority
superior to existing sovereigntles and
requiring on the part Of the United
States an amendment of the Consti-
fution before it could be made effec-
tive. For IN his special address to
the United States Senate, on January
%, 1917, proposing to substitute for
the Monroe Doctrine a Wilson World
Doctrine, the President said:
TT will be absolutely necessary that
q force DO created as a guarantor OF the
psrmanency OF the settlement so much
greater than the force OF any nation now
engaged or any alliance hitherto formed
or projected that no nation. no probable
combination OF nations, could face or
withstand It. II the peace presently 90
be made is 70 endure, It must be a
peace made secure by the organized ma
5or force OF mankind"
If this does not signify superna.
tional control, the sacrifice or surren.
der of some measure of national SOW
ereignty, q world police subject to the
authority OF TN Internal; onai commits
sion, it Is hard TO say what It does
signify. Major force was the start.
ing point In President WILSON'S plan
for compelling peace. In the same ad.
dress he said:
~1n every discussion OF the peace tina,
must end this war II IL taken for grant
ed that that peace must be followed by
eome definite concert Of power which
Will make Il virtually impossible tina;
any such catastrophe should ever over
wfrelm US again. Every lover OF mankind
every sane and thoughtful man mus,
take that for granted"
Whatever formal or conventional
declaration respecting the principle OF
q League of Nations shall hnw prove
satisfactory to President WILSON az
the outcome Of the matching Of minds
at Paris. let there be no mistake about
the defn!teness Of his original con
ception OF such a league. 1t was @
permanent concert OF power, an orga.
nized supergovernment OF govern
ments. and police OF major force tc
compel, not merely to persuade.