The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-08-22
Purpose Of the LEAGUE.

The chief purpose of the League OF
Nations is to keep the world in
state of peace. Another way of ex-
pressing 1T is to say that the league
Is designed to prevent wars.
We have just finished the greatest
which is to say the most horrible, of
all conflicts between nations. We
have won glorious victory. But that
victory will be wasted unless this war
has made the nations ready to
put aside their differences and CO.
operate to end war forever
1t is not enough, however, to pro-
vide for the prevention of wars and
the settlement of disputes after they
have arisen. We must foresee causes
of trouble and remove them before
they have reached an acute stage.
Hence there must be provision for fire.
quent consultations of members Of the
league for exchange of information,
for agreement on common policies and
for the gradual formation of rules Of
international law which at present are
uncertain and incomplete.
The representatives of the great
free nations which won the war have
met at Paris and, after long consulta-
tlon, have drawn an agreement which
they believe will accomplish these
ends. At the very least it will set In
motion great changes which will re-
suit in universal benefit to all man.
kind. This agreement is called the
Covenant of the League Of Nations
and 1t is a part of the peace treaty.
There will be no league worth talk
ing about, however, unless the United
States is q member. The decision as
to whether the United States shall
join rests with our Senate. The Sena-
tors, chosen by the people, Will in the
end vote as the people desire. For
this reason the people themselves Will
decide whether or not the United
States will join the league. In this
question every citizen should have
voice. He or she can express opinion
either by writing direct to Senators,
by letters to the newspapers, by
speeches in his lodge or local union or
I'm conversation with friends.
Methods of Maintaining Peace.
Since the prime object OF the
League of Nations is to preserve peace
and to reap the benefits or peace
let us see how the league will operate
to accomplish that purpose
In the first place it Will seek 10 re-
move the main causes OF war. by 'ne
formation of an international court IL
will create a means for the peace1ui
settlement of disputes between ma
tions Then II will seek to compei tiie
nations to make use or THIS court
This Is nothing more nor less IMAM an
onnlicot,on of the rules and customs
governing private individuals IN cisn-
ized communities to the reiatiohS oe
tween nations.
Secondly. the League will seek 10 re-
move a great temptation 10 war w
the general agreement to reduce 'no
size of armies and navies. IhiS VIZ,
halt the race for military ana haVa'
sunremacy which was largely respoh-
s,hIa for tbe war just ended. Inc
amount of armament any Nation .na;
maintain will be strictly ueiineu'
Thus IL will be Impossible ior ono
country IN overwhelm its neighDor oy
unexpected attack, in the way Una,
Germany crushed Belgium ana wo W..
have crushed France had not the ou.
democratic nations gone TO her aio' ne
idea is that each country may hoop
an army andlnavy large enough TO en-
able II to fulfil its respohs'p'ii.ioo .
member Of the League, but 10 l"rge ,,,.
The United states, for example, prop,
ably would be expected to Keep
check on Mexico and the state OF cor,
slant turmoil In that country wou,u oe
taken into consideration In deciu'"s
how large an army we should neeu'
The third important salesua''
which tie League will set up IS s'
tom of penalties. This VIII make az
,outIaw OF any nation or group Oh ,a
tons which goes TO war in violation
of the rules OF the League. Ths QUIZ