The sun., 1919-08-07
A Great Methodist Churchman Ex-
poses MIR. wilson's League.

A Great Methodist Churchman Ex-
poses MIR. Wilson'S League.
The Rev. THOMAS BENJAMIN Nicely,
Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, whose labors In behalf Of
sound citizenship and good American
ism have brought him reputation not
second to that his services to his
Church have earned for him, has
written and published an analysis Of
the League of Nations into which
President WILSON is endeavoring to
force the United States which for
clarity of thought, moderateness Of
phrascology and soundness of politi-
cal doctrine must command the re-
spectfui attention of all thoughtful
students of our affairs
Bishop Nicely approaches the prob
lens involved in the project for q
league of nations In no spirit of an
tagonism. His professional training.
his ministry Of many years duration
here and abroad, his observations Of
the horrors Of war, all unite to predis-
pose him to champion any practicable
plan that may be put forward for the
preservation Of honorable peace. Yet
with the most charitable disposition
he is unable to support the scheme
for which President WILSON, arrogat-
ing to himself a representative ca
pacity he was not entitled to, bar
tered and compromised In the dark
In Paris. Bishop Nicely reaches the
conclusion to which other straight see
ing Americans have been forced after
study of the covenant, that 1t sets up
supersovereignty intellectually men,
acing to the independence Of the
United States, TO which the American
people should never give their assent,
much less pledge their active material
and moral support.
We cannot in this place adequately
review the careful and palnstaking
analysis Of the history Of the Wilson
League as Bishop Nicely has written
It from available official data, the ad-
dresses of men In public life, and the
columns of the newspaper and perl
odical press. He has gone deeply
as deeply as the secrecy maintained
by President WILSON will permit any
American to .go-into the record of
this singular enterprise. With scru-
pulous care he has given due weight
to the aspirations Of dealism, and he
has not allowed himself to be preju-
diced by the fact that occasionally
even ideallsm must compromise with
existing and potent conditions. But
he has refused to be blinded to the
facts or to discard his knowledge OF
men and nations In his consideration
of constitution designed to regulate
the relations of men with their fel'
lows. Good sense marks his Inquest
and good sense marks his rejection OF
the Wilson league and his plea t.
his fellow Americans to save them
selves from 1t.
Having recalled the splendid his
tory of the United States as a powell
for the good of mankind. Bishop
Nicely declares that "any power oil
combination that seeks In any way t.
control the United States of Americt
so as to destroy its political indepen
dence, in any sense or in any degree
should be instantly and eternally re
jected, and any proposition that In
wolves this should be spurned, ant
that with contempt" Then:
1.-THE so-called League OF Nations
implies such proposition and in
wolves the destruction Of Independence
and the loss of national sovereignty
and therefore should by every true
American be Immediately and en-
phatically refused.|
Considering the possibility o.
amending the covenant, Bishop NEEL'
wisely says:
| ut may be said that the league
may be changed, but no matter what
changes may be made in II. as long
as It retains the governing feature
its real character Is not affected.
| ARTICLE X. may be removed. and
the Monroe Doctrine may be better
guarded. and yet there will remain
many things that make the nation
in the league a subject nation under
the government of the league, and
as long as these things exist, and
the governing element persists. the
member nation has lost its sover-
eighty.
THAT is the essential feature of
the League of Nations.
ut is an over-government with the
nations subject 70 It. and tho United
States must keep out or lose its po-
litical independence, no matter what
reservations are made"
| The suggestion advanced by som
advocates of the league that tn
United States might join 1t and qui
the association IL It proves unsatls
factory Bishop NELLY likens to tell
ing a man to take poison MS an eN
pertinent it is mot only dangerous
but absurdly foolish" His genera