Evening star., 1919-04-29
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN,

Behind the covenant of the league
| of nations, which has been adopted by
| the peace conferees representing
| civilized nations of the world. rests
a crystallized determination on the
| part of people generally that the
specter of grim war shall forever be
banished from the world.
Had the people themselves been in
| different to international arrange
| ments. had they not been keenly in
| sistent that their statesmen make the
| present peace one everlasting, then
statesmen assembled in Paris might
have been Influenced into taking the
| old roads of settlement. These were
| charted, they were easier to follow,
| and had it not been for strong voices
and courageous hearts among those
| men who have been most interested
| in effecting new order, the present
peace conference would have follow
| ed the old lines. with the old methods
and with possible untoward conse.
quences, such as swept over the World
| in 1914.
World Ready for. New Order.
1t may be assumed that the league
| of nations is an actual fact The peo-
| pies of the old world, weary unto
death of old disastrous methods in in
ternatiOnal arrangements, eagerly de-
SlrOuS OF escaping the pllldlS pS-
setting nationalities in the past and
making these folk victims of selfish
; maneuvers OF unscrupulous and grasp
ing political interests. will back the
league, even though it may have the de-
fects of one remaining. yet untried
| method of dissolving future dangers
The old world Is ready for the new
order
Will America stand in the way of
realization of better things for all?
Will not America give her sanction
to the arrangements arrived at in
Paris. that at least the new scheme
of things may be tried? Or will Ger
tain political interests in the United
States consider the league of ma
tions a great and fearful banshee
which in mournful voice comes wall.
ing to warn the American political
family that there Is to be death in
national fealty. national principles
and the constant voicing of national
aspirations? Will America approve OF
the peace treaty to be effected. In
cooperating, as it will, the league OF
nations covenant in its present form?
These are the questions that domi-
nate the mind of Europe today. They
are questions asked in Washington.
Responsibility Is Americas.
The responsibility is placed directly
up to America and Americans. They
will either gladly stand sponsor for
the arrangement drafted. looking
toward realization of q general world
brotherhood. or they will withdraw
and repudiate tho principles which
were espoused as the underlying mo-
tives behind Americas war effort.
Through the league of nations the
high ideals which have been dissem-
mated throughout the world, and
which have electrified the masses of
N1Ak 1xn lc
which have been carefully made by
the wrights OF Paris will be set to
turning. and many of the perplexing
issues OF the moment win be reduced
to the srist of understanding and
international concord.
Even the authors O. the league OF
nations the men win have given 1t
countless hours of idera ton -
President Wilson, Mr. Lloyd George,
Mr.. Clemenceau and Mr.. Orlando
admit that the present fabric is not
all that coufd be desired But in
effecting the present arrangement. as
j the first, the interests and desires of
many nations have had to be con-
sidered and it may be safely stated
chat the present covenant represents
the nearest possible agreement among
all the nations that are to be governed
by its precepts. That this is true rs
evidenced by its unanimous adoption
by the plenary session of the peace
conference.
Will Be o. KID Elsewhere.
But, with its faults. with it's loose
places, the league covenant goes into
the peace pact and comes to America
for approval. 1t is a starting point. 1t
will be approved by other parlia-
mentary bodies of the world most
certainly. This has been conceded
hA ri in po ri hrrf
ing to the fights which have been
waged on the league from certain
quarters in the United States there
have been many moments when dele
gates Of foreign powers assembled in
Paris have doubted whether, after ell,
America would back up to the last the
very machinery expected to make alb
| solutely certain realization of her
many ideals.
Notwithstanding the friction and
oftentimes discord that have marked
the deliberations, in Paris: notwith-
standing the possibly inspired feeling
directed against Americans in GER
tain quarters OF Europe. the common
peoples of Europe are looking sto
America for guidance That they
need assistance in an economic and
financial way is admitted. But this
turning toward America In demon
strative Of a great trust in the hon
'
country: its ability to give counsel
and aid along spiritual as well as
political lines. European peoples are
| looking toward America as the one
| great united force which will forever
1 preserve the world from the evils OF
the past. That they may place toe
much confidence in rs, that they may
| expect too much, is admitted by
| Americana.
Europe to America.
| But. the fact remains. this is the
attitude Of the people of Europe. and
1 with the adoption OF the league COW
enant and its certain incorporation
in the peace pact which is coming to
1 America Europe will say in effect tn
the United States:
| Are you to leave US f1oundering
after yon have aroused our hopes, our
/ aspirations? Are you to close the
| gates upon US just as we vision new
era. one ushered in by the preach
ments which have found inception in
| the minds and hearts OF the American
people?"
! And whether we, with our counter
1 currents of political thought, agree
| or disagree that the league of ma.
lions in its present form can make
possible realisation of the things
| Europe so desires, 1t nevertheless re-
mains fact that Europe thinks we
can.
1s7 This is q question which in the
European mind is inseparably locked
with the league OF nations idea. II
we spurn the league we spurn the
Itch ideals which have been enun.