The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-03
WANTS COUNCIL
Canadian Minister Talks for
International Peoples House.
Says Prevention of War Not
Alone Up to Government.

Paris, Feb. 3.-Charles ]. Doberty.
Canadian minister of justice, who has
proposed to the peace conference that
an international peoples house of rep
resentatives be established, said today
in discussing the subject: 4
prevention of war is not the con-
Germ of governmental power alone. It
is the interest of humanity itself.
sovereign state is not organized with
a view to exerting any restraining in
huence over its own action toward
other states. II war Is to be pre-
vented, or it's likelihood diminished,
success can be attained only by the
existence somewhere, il not power that
will control at least influence which
will restrain the absolute sovereignty
OF organized states in dealings with
each other
Whence is that power or influence
to be derived II not from the peoples
inhabiting the different states whose
every interest demands the suppression
of war? The weak point in all plans
SO far discussed is that the action of
states is to be controlled, restrained or
Influenced in conferences of those
states themselves to the exclusion of
other peoples who are to be affected
by the decisions reached. 1t must be
RENE b.red that it is not merely the
peoples of states Immediately con-
cerned who are affected by war but
all mankind.
brought People to See.
1.-The experience of the present war
has brought all thinking people to see
that intricate development and COM
| mercial and financial reaction have
given to peoples of all nations common
| life. A war between any two great
powers necessarily dislocated that
commercial life with results disastrous
to all. 1t is therefore a practical ques-
| ton how the league may be constitut-
| ed in which the voice of that great
| body of peoples may be effectively
heard and its influence effectively ex-
ercised.
How can the world be made safe
| for democracy more surely than by en-
| trusting a share in the future guar
| dianshtp of safety purchased at so
sreat price. to a body representative
of the worlds democracy, the MEM
| bers of which have been selected by
| that democracy? Inclusion in the
league or body in which the worlds
people would act thru their repre-
sentatives democratically elected for
not prejudicially affect the powers to
be exercised by the states under any
| other plans proposed. Moreover,
within the body itself each state would
find legitimate protection in adequate
representation therein of its own peo-
pie.
| Can Look Forward.
'If the plan is adopted, we can, as
has been said, look forward to a sys-
tenn of international relations main
| tanned by an aggregate of popular
| force, uniformly intolerant of any at
tempt to substitute an appeal to the
! sword or methods OF the council
| chamber We will be assured that
behind the cooperation of states and
| holding them firmly to it. are the
| worlds peoples speaking and acting
| by and[thru their duly chosen repre-
sentatives. The most important func-
ton Of the suggested representative
| body would be to exercise in times of
peace constant Influence upon states
| in. their relations with each other.
tending to keep them from those diff
| fererces which give rise to conflict
and make war imminent. It would
perform that work of investigation,
discussion, elaboration and legislation
which would take the form of the
adoption of recommendation addressed
| to the individual states"