The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-05
PEACE FIRST; A LEAGUE
LATER.
Common Sense Advice to Real Believ-
ers In q League Of Nations.


To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-str. Pres
ident Lowell in his recent debate with
Senator Lodge used this language:
when the covenant says that the
Executive Council of the League shall
advise" or recommend" or deter
mine" for the consideration and action
of the several Governments or "formu-
late plans" or propose measures" I
assume that II means what It says.
To advise or recommend means to suE-
gest, to propose. to advocats-in short,
to recommend for consideration by
some one else. not to give an order to
some one who IL obliged to obey; and
when the members of the league agree
that their Executive Council may ad-
wise or recommend q course of action,
they agree to consider that recommsn-
dalton, but they assume no obligation,
legal or moral. to follow Il II they do
not approve Of It
The Executive Council is the only
guiding head the League IL to have. II
II only has authority to make recon-
mendations and give advice. It is clear
that the League will be without real
executive head, and hence without
power This admission of President
Lowell Is but one step in the process OF
devitalization which the advocates of
the League have been engaged in ever
since the Wilson constitution was ana
lyzed by tho Republican leaders of the
Senate. President Lowells rule of in
depreciation ana tho amendments which
arc now being Incorporated tepd to rem
der the proposed organization impotent.
From the outset the advocates of the
League have faced two alternatives.
Either they must form a strong league,
which would require the surrender of
sovereignty by the constituent states, or
weak league. which would be use
less. Public discussion has Demon
strated that the United States is un-
willing to surrender enough Of its sover-
eighty to enable the Peace Conference
to form n strong league. On the other
hand. the recent development OF events
in Europe has shown that weak
league will be useless to meet the /de-
mands Of the situation.
1t is now clear that the constructive
programme laid down by the Republi-
can Senators at the outset-peace first
and a league later-was the wise one
Tho American people are in favor Of
some sort Of international organization
calculated to obviate future wars. They
now realize that such a move involves
radical changes in the life OF the whole
world, and that II should not be entered
upon without full and deliberate con-
sideration by all the nations It IL
further realized that such an organza-
ton should not be entered into for the
specific purpose Of ending this war, but
for the general purpose OF obviating
future wars. II Is clear that this war
should be concluded by n special treaty
OF peace which has application to the
present situation. After this is done
the general proposition OF organizing a
league OF natio,s for the purpose Of
meeting a general situation could logi-
cally be entertained.
The contention that unless a league
OF nations IL formed now II will never
be formed is fatal confession of
weakness. II the world demands such
an organization it will be sure to be
formed. All institutions of permanent
value are plants Of slow growth. In
ternational law is such ar institution.
yet II has developed progressively
through the centuries because the con-
ditions OF the world demanded II. His
tory. like nature. takes no leaps. It
develops slowly step by step. Should
we undertake by exceptional methods to
make history take a leap. there Is great
danger of a bad slip backwards The
real believers In league OF nations
should be on their guard and avoid TAX
ing a leap in the dark. The great dan
ger OF pressing the proposition at this
time Is that the scheup may collapse
and the whole movement come to
naught
Tho fallacy OF President Wilson's
position Is that II assumes that this
war is over. The iniquity OF his pro-
gramme lies IN the fact that It is de-
laying and defeating the Allies in meet
ing the burning issue OF the hour. that
OF ending this war by consulting and
enforcing a Just peace. by thrusting
into the foreground the discussion OF a
vast general proposition designed to
meet a general future world situation.
The fruits OF our victory are evaporat-
ing before our eyes. That the strong
military alliance which We already have
IL the only available instrument at our
command for meeting tho present situa-
ton Is too clear 70 require argument
It is obvious that tho sound pro-
sramrre Is; Peace now and a league
later. L4BBrus II. WnJLxY.
NEW YoHK. April T.