The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-03-28


T,HE preamble 20 the covenant and
J. draft of the constitution Of the
cagu. Of nations is a long sentence.
~ dividing IT up IL In easier for the
mind 20 grasp its fun meaning. and
is important that all Of US should
understand wha, Its purpose IN. now
that politicians are playing politics
with Il and trying 10 make IL party
issue. The preamble reads as fol-
lows:
In order 10 promote internar
tional cooperation and TO &C.
curc international peace and &c
curity
by the acceptance Of obiigar
lions not to resort TO war.
.Isy the prescription Of open.
juat and honorable relations be-
tween nations
.By the firm establishment OF
the understandings OF inserna-
tionai law as the actual rule OF
conduct anon. Governments.
and
by the maintenance Of justice
and a scrupuious respect for all
treaty obligations In the deal.
inEs Of organized peoples with
one another.
'.Thc powers signatory To this
covenant adop; this constitu.
ton of the league Of nations"
II you will read tn. first para.
graph. then any one OF the succeed
ing paragraphs. and finish with the
last, you can analyxe each purpose
OF tho covenant by itself.
For illustration, by taking the
second paragraph with the first and
last you get this combination:
I'm order TO promote international
cooperation and to secure interna-
tionai peace and security. by the ae-
ceptance OF obligations not TO resort
to war. the powers signatory 20 this
covenant adopt this constitution Of
the league OF nations"
n you believe II is a good thing
for humanity for the organized pco-
pies of the world 10 get together to
promote international cooperation
and to secure international peace
and security by the acceptance OF
obligations not to resort to war,
then the covenant meets your ap-
prevail that far. at least.
II you believe In open. just and
honorable relations between nations.
then you can accept the third para
graph.
N you believe In the firm establish.
ment Of the understandings OF inter.
national law as the actual rule OF
conduct among governments. then
the covenant il satisfactory to you
that far.
IL YOU believe in the maintenance
OF Justice and a scrupulous respect
for all treaty obligations In the deal
ings OF organized peoples with one
another. then the preamble OF the
covenant meets your approval
The preamble Is important because
Il tells us what the league OF ma
lions is all about. why men are try
ing TO organize II and what they
hope to accomplish by H. Before the
world was plunged into this war by
the insane egotism OF German kul.
tur, the most powerful nations OF
Europe tried TO maintain peace by
balance OF power. England.
France and Russia sought to offset
Germany. stria-Hungary and
Italy.
And when Austria jumped on little
Serbia. Germany WAS back OF Aus
tria, and the murder Of the Austrian
archduke was merely the excuse for
bringing about the war for which
Germany had been preparing for 40
years. II the archduke hadn't been
murdered. some other excuse would
have served the German purpose
just as well.
Anyhow. the balance of power
didn't prevent war. Most of the
world had to join France and her
allies to prevent Prussian autoeracy
from overrunning Europe and then
oonqucring the world. Our own peo-
pie found IT imperative, finally. to
enter full strength into the world
war in order to preserve our own