Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-06-13
The Worlds Next Step
NO. Q 90
what II Our Duty In Cennection with
the LeAgse Of NatieBs7
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED

III cohnecuOn win the league of ma
tions!" you may ask. what have I
got TO do with this big world question?
WIN any action on my part have any
influence on the forces that are now
settling the .desdnies of the woriIY".
Every citizen Of the United States
has a duty to perform now, In connec-
tion with the league Of nations, Just
as urgent as he had when we were ut
war. You did not hesitate to do your
paft then just because you were only
one Of a hundfed million and on rhe
theory that any little saving or invest
Ing or working that you could do
would have little effect toward de-
feating Germany.
Every individual citizen Is represent.
ed 10 Washington by a senator. You
may not know him; may never have
seen him. Nevertheless he has some
respect for your opinions; he wishes
TO win your vote once more. II he did
not respect the opinions OF his con-
stituents he would be q queer person.
for he Is sent to Washington to carry
Oat the wishes Of the majority of the
voters. !,
Now the United states senate is the
body which has the power to ratify or
reject treaties. The British premier
has promised to submit the peace
treaty to parliament for its approval,
too; but he has just had an election
and knows where parliament stands.
When the Representatives Of all or
most OF the other nations sign the
treaty Of peace, that is all that is nee.
essary. IT then becomes operative.
But America will not be ut peace
with Germany nor will 1t be men,
Der of the league of nations until the
senate has ratified the treaty. II the
senate should refuse to ratify 1t, we
would then be IN the position Of being
at war when all the remainder of the
wopld was at peace, and Of being out
side of a league Of nations which en-
braced most Of the other important
countries. r..,-
lis 1t possible" you may ask. 'that
the senate could fail TO ratify treaty
and thus leave us out in the cOldf Are
we ready to stand alone in this fed
Grated WORLDLY Can we assume the
role Of China and build a wan Of ex-
clustveness around usT"
Looked at in that light II does not
seem possible; yet when one listens TO
the speeches made daily In the senate
II does seeIn as though many senators
are far from ready to vote for the
treaty which contains a provision for
O league Of nations. They may believe
that they are backed by the voters. It
IL our duty as voters to let them know
whether they are carrying out our
Wishes er not ~
In this series of articles there has
been no attempt to present an argu-
ment that the constitution of the
league Of nations as It stands is a per.
feet document. There very likely IL
room for many improvements. II
there were not. It would be an excep-
ton to every other constitution ever
adopted. H.
Conditions may arise q decade or
/ century from now Of which we can
have nc conception at this time, any
more than the trainers Of the Ameri.
can Constitution could have foreseen
the Developments of today.
But there can be no DOUBT that the
world. as whole. now disapproves of
war and denies the necessity FIR war,
and that the league OF nations as now
proposed is sincere effort to do away
with the danger Of war.
There 10 every reason to believe that
II stands more than a fair chance of
succeeding. while It is 30 drawn as to
present few II any perils that we have
not always had with rs II II fails to
succeed.
The constitution Of the league does
not prevent the United States from
doing anything It wants TO do. for the
reason that the United States has no
designs on the property of Its neigh,
bors. 1t does not impose any new bur
dens upon Us comparable with the war
debt which has just been heaped on ms
through no fault or desire Of our own.
The league may cali upon the United
States to do Its part In governing some
of the backward portions Of the globe
until they are ready to govern them
selves. This may entail some expense,
some trouble, possibly some small loss
az American lives. ~ In the case of
the Philippines, but nothing in com.
parison to the leases In men and money
sustained In our participation in what
was for rs only the Tag end Of great
world war.
Every man must do his duty In his
own community, Il he expects good
government. II he believes In the
league of nations. It 10 his duty now toll
let his representatives IN the senate
know 1t. II he does not. II likewise 10
Afs duty % make his beliefs known.
The plain people, the world over,
are letting II be known that they are
against International war. Most Of
than believe that the league OF ma
lions 10 now the one way to prevent IT,
II you SO believe, y0u are not, .doInE
your tufy. unless yon let your senator
know that you want the treaty rati+
AD~1ttsft fa5if.arIa Pa Z