El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-13


sacrifice, II the league Il not TO
be stillhoru, is her right to de-
eide whether or not to make war.
to determine whether to keep her
soldiers and ships ut home or
abroad. America must agree to
accept the decision Of Italians.
Greeks, Japanese. as well as
Frenchmem and BrftOms. us to
whether her dOughbOys shall
bleed again on foreign fields. IL
will be a CALLING and n bitter sac
rifieei the world waits the answer
but half the Americans in Paris
are unaware that the problem ex-
lists or that the answer must be
given. Yes or nos there Is no
middle ground. And, unless the
Americans ut home are more wide
awake than the large section OF
them in France they have hardly
started TO make up their minds.
The argument why America should
come into the league is simple. She
is the one great power that every
body trusts TO play fair, because her
interests conflict with those OF no
country in the same degree as obtains
between the other great nations. If
she stands alOof, reserving to herself
the full national sovereignty she has
always enjoyed. the scheme comes
crashing down and the world reverts
to the old system Of alliances and the
balance OF power with resulting COM
petitive ornaments
VIII Not BE Catspav.
On the other hand, opponents OF
1uu American participation say the
American people will never stand for
control in matters Of peace OF war by
any foreign body Of men, however
cosmic- Nor viii they agree to be-
come ''mandatories" over moot places
like Constantinople, Mesopotamfa
East Africa, offered to America be
cause the European powers are too
Jealous Of each other for one Of them
10 take possession even as a simple
mandatory" Nor. it is whispered in
not few quarters, will the American
people pull England's chestnuts out
Of the fire by relieving Britain OF the
expense and anxiety Of administering
countries which must be controlled by
England-or by her good friend.
American order TO protect the road
10 India from hostile plots.
How About the seasf
This riddle OF the United States
policy on the league Of nations is
the first big question whose answer
nobody can give until that sphinx. the
American people. opens its mouth.
The second important moot point as
Americas policy on the freedom OF
the seas2"
Of the presidents II points. the
allies accepted before the armisticeI
-, and reserved their comment on
the freedom Of the seas, at the in
stance OF Britain Since then 1000
contradictory reports have flown
around Paris; Wilson was in COM
plete accord with Lloyd George on
2 Hn Hna En
ish could never agree and the Ameri-
cans were building the greatest fleet
ever heard Of against England;
France and Italy had agreed TO sup
port England on the seas issue in re-
turn for British support against
America for their respective claims
to the left bank Of the Rhine and
France, Italy and Japan squarely
against the sea pretensiOns OF Britain,
who remains standing in splendid
isolation And so forth
VIII Not Oppose England.
While protesting complete ignor- I
ance on the outcome OF the league OF .
nations debate, ] am able 20 clear the 4
air q little about the freedom of the 1
seas The United States viii bring 1
In no proposal for q reduction in the 4
naval armament Of Great Britain; 4
this problem VIII settle itself. If the \
league works, through the taxpayer
Of Great Britain and other countries
to meet the huge bills for
the construction Of dreadnaughts
that under the new world order viii .
be obviously useless This happy
condition Of affairs. he realizes, viii \
lot come about tomorrow or next day,
0ut is not likely to be delayed many
years, il the league OF nations sue
leeds, and in case this is the best
solution obtainable now.
1t is therefore a mistake to argue
IN the sea issue in terms Of naval
strength Many continental nations
would like 10 see the British fleet re-
iuced, and have egged the Americans
IN TO do something about IL. but after
OOking over the ground, our people
nave declined with thanks
The sea problem f. reduced
now to essentially this PROPOSE
fiOnt els Great Britain 10 be
permitted in the future us in the
past to make up sea law ns she
goes along TO meet the require
ments Of any particular war in
which she happens TO be en-
gagged p
This, in effect. is what John Bull
lid in the fight against Germany.
Nobody blames him much, least Of
III Uncle sam, even II the latter did
become somewhat peevish on the sub
ect in 1915, because Uncle sam knows
quite well that without radical alter
ltions in the rules Germany would
1e fighting today, and also remem-
1ers that in the COS he INDUCED in
iOme very remarkable legal aero
latics in order 10 effectively blockade