Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-14
BALL0TlNG ON THE LEAGUE

The suggestion has been made that when the peace
treaty is submitted to the American senate for ratifica-
ton the provision for the League Of Nations be olsen
tangled from it that the peace treaty proper be acted on
separately by the senate, and that the plan for the League
of Nations be submitted to the general public to be bal
loted on. 1t will be noted that the suggestion comes from
quarters where opposition to this particular plan for the
League of Nations is most pronounced, and where there
seems to be little enthusiasm for any League Of Nations.
Reports have come from Washington that several
senators who are not favorable to the plan for the League
of Nations as presented on going over the peace treaty
have reached the conclusion that the League feature may
be separated. from the treaty proper without great diff
Guilty. We confess to some skepticism on this point as
not only does the treaty contain the League constitution
entire, but references to the League run all through It,,
and it is full of provisions comforting on the League au-
thority over sundry matters in which the nations are in
terested. The treaty entire is now in the hands of the
Germans for acceptance. They are expected to accept or
reject it practically as it stands. Minor changes may be
made in it, but no changes of any vital Importance are to
be expected. If Germany signs the treaty on her side
and Franco and Great Britain for instance, accept it on
theirs, it is difficult to see how an arrangement can be
made whereby the United States will enter in to a diff
ferent sort of agreement with Germany in which entirely
different provisions must> be made for the same things
covered in the arrangement with the other nations.
If the League constitution or it's principle could be
submitted to the American people for direct vote without
any confusing or complicating circumstances, such a pro-
vision might be useful enough except for the delay ins
volved, and that delay need not be made a lengthy. one.
The trouble with the plan would be that special pleaders
of all sorts and conditions would appear before the peo-
pie. some asking the rejection Of the League plan be-
cause they are opposed to the entire League principle
and others asking for its rejection because this or that
condition is unsatisfactory to them. 1t would be a mat
ter of no little difficulty to frame the question for sub
mission in such a manner as to avoid this confusion. If
the whole thing could be submitted as a straight, simple
issue, and if the people Of the country could. be asked
whether or not they approved the principle Of the League
of Nations and whether or not they approved thes condi.
tons framed as the best obtainable 1.-THE time; and un-
der the circumstances we have no doubt that the verdict
would be a very emphatic affirmative. But with the ques-
ton submitted as it must seemingly be if presented at all
the result would not be SO easy to predict. 1t seems on
the whole. therefore, that the best way to dispose of the
question is to let it take its usual course: let the senate
perform it's constitution function of considering and pass
ing upon the issue, and let the senators themselves be
held responsible for the manner in which they perform
their duty. 49,