Evening star., 1919-03-04
What Some Nations Sought.

the spoils along such lines that the
American people would never nave
been ready to sign the treaty. IN
deed. the wrangle which would have
Ansued would have taken a year ar
more and American troops might
have had to stay in Europe indet-
inately
Former President Taft expresses ex-
actly the sentiment of the unseihsh
nations at the peace conference when
he saws: Several distinguished sem
ators have said that the proposition
of a league of nations can be taken
ND later. They think that on some
fine summers day when everything
else has been cleared off the boaro-
somebody-I do not know Just whom
viii sit down and make up the
league"
Delegates Mind Changed.
When Henry White, the republican
member of the American mission,
went TO Paris he shared senator
Lodges view that the league could
be discussed later on. but he soon
changed his view when he observed
conditions. Great Britain sided with
President Wilson very promptly on
the necessity of making the league a
vital part of the peace treaty ana the
resolution to that effect is now oihu-
! ing upon all the delegates. To sat
| isfy the purport of Senator Lodge 5
PROPOSAL the whole discussion of last
January at Paris would have to be
| rcopened and many of the tangled
| problems which it has already been
agreed should be left to the league
! 10 decide when 1T Is once ereateo
would be thrown on the table once
| more Europe would regard any such
| action by America as bad faith and
| striking disregard eor the necessity
| of an early peace treaty.
| If is easy to say. Conclude terms
with Germany and talk league of ma
| tions afterward. punish Germany ana
| let the diplomats take care OF the
| rest but most everybody IN Paris
who cares about seeing this war end
ed without the chance of another war
before the ink on the peace treaty is
dry realizes that unless some general
| international organiza ton is estab-
Hshed TO execute the provisions of the
! settlement there Will be half dozen
Alsace- -Lorraines in the world ana III
| feeling sufficient to bifng on more
| bloodshed.
| There is a unanimous feeling on the
| fact that Germany shall be punished.
Nobody has suggested leniency for
the enemy But to make peace with
! the enemy it is necessary to state
| specifically what shall be done with
! the property and territory taken from
the enemy. The VictorS are at odds.
/ The league of nations is the formula
| by which il is hoped that the world
| can get preliminary peace treaty
| and the disposition of many yeSing
| questions distributed over future years
under the eyes of all the participating
members of the league. Strictly speak
| ing. the league OF nations becomes a
! continuing peace conference. and just
1 so soon as there is definite agree
ment on its powers and functions the
f; work of making a specific treaty with
| Germany will be easy.
Doubts Senators Bravery.
! It was only natural that the senator's
should deliver themselves of strong
opinions on the particular form of the
league of nations' plan as presented
today, but It is very doubtful indeed
| If ali of the thirty-seven senator's who
Mr. Lodge declares have pledged
themselves in opposition would care
to take the responsibility of defeating
the will of Europe and the work OF
the Paris peace conference later on.
If they do they will put themselves in
political jeopardy in the next election.
for the democrats will not hesitate to
say their opponents have more than JUS
tilted the apprehensions OF President
Wilson last autumn, when ne asked ior
a democratic Congress on the ground
that they would assist him in working
out his peace policies more than would
his opposition.
Inseparably bound up in the success OF
the Paris conference is the question OF
an early return of all the American
forces from Europe. Whether there shall
be a league of nations is no longer de-
bated in Europe. America hasn't much
choice now. except on the details or the
league. The principle itself has been
accepted There will be a league of na-
tions 1t will be a success or failure, de-
pending upon how much power is given
it by the members.
If U. S. Should Block It.
If the United States should block
the measure all the friendship We
have gained through participation in
the war would be lost Europe would
look askance and wonder If, after all,
the United States cared more for her
own prosperity and material welfare
than she did about the rest of the
world: if she entered the war to make
the world safe for democracy and to
protect France and England from the
German menace or merely to prevent
Germany, as the victor. from en-
croaching upon Americas supposed
desires for commercial conquest
These are the things many people
in Europe have been saying about
America anyway. but return to the
policy of isolation held by the United
States before the European war DEM
onstrated how narrow the Atlantic
ocean really was would only destroy
the prestige of this country abroad.
President Wilson'S professions on be-
half of America would be discredited.
of course, but it is not merely the
reputa ton of q man but the prestige
of nation that is now at stake.
That's why most people here do not
take seriously the prospect that Sena-
tor Lodges list of thirty-seven sena-
tors means a rejection of the forth
coming peace treaty by the United
States Senate.
On the contrary, it would not be
surprising il every one of the thirty
seven men would have to explain his
position to his constituency in the
next few weeks. From political
point of view, it may prove more en-
barrassing to the senators themselves
than to President Wilson, for there is
going to be a league Of nations and it
will be established within the current
year. But what is even more interest,"
ing-the senators themselves will
change. They will ratify whatever
treaty comes from Paris. However
much they may influence the shaping
of the document, they cannot take the
OF its rejection.
Copyright 1918, by N. Y. Evening Peat SeA