Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-01
With Other Editors
That Six to One Shell Game.

| In the washington announcement that Sen
ator johnson was on for the Pacific coast to
trail" President Wilson, the significant state
meat was made that the California senator
| probably would lay special stress on the poin;
| that the UNITED States should have equal vot-
ing power with Great Britain in the League OF
Nations"
In other words, Senator Johnson is going
TO wave the flag some more, paint eloquent
word pictures il imaginary enemies to Ameri-
| canisn lurking in the league, resort to dema-
gogic tactics 10 influence the crowds and then
| cinch il all with misrepresentation about the
relative voting strength of Great Britain and
the United States in the league.
He's going to play a six to one shell game
| on his hearers il be can He will be careful
| not TO state the truth about the relative vot-
! ing strength in the council, but viii cry out
| AGAINST the relative voting strength in the as
semhly, where. as We have befofe shown, the
self governing dcminions OF Great Britain have
a voice.
In the council which is the real executive
body OF the league, Great Britain and the
United States have bat one vote each
In the assembly are delegates In equal num-
bers from all of the members OF the league.
The 80 nations taking part in the war-the
United States conSpicuously among tneLn-are
the original members, while Is neutral states
ara invited to become members, making total
of As The executive working BODY tine
counciD has but nine votes representing the
great states which bear the heaviest respon-
sibilfty and which VIII WELD the most po-
tentiaI influence in preservation OF peace Inc
councils action must be unanimous
-Four Of the nine members of the council
that are not made permanent by the covenant
are selected by the assembly by unanimous
vote.
Great Britain with all of her self-governing
Aominicns has no more power in that body
which does things" than the United States.
The veto power of this country is absolute.
Now if the opposition to the league want to
be half way fair in this discussion, they viii
make these facts plain and not try to create a
false scare and false impression in the public
mind.
The assembly is important debating
society. Save for the very limiteI authority
expressly vested in it" says President Lowell
OF Harvard university, the function Of the
assembly is discussion, and that is OF immense
importance. The mere fact that any nation,
however small, can bring its grievances and
it's aspirations before a general body Of repre-
sentatfves gathered from all the free, orderly
and civilized peoples of the earth is of inesti-
mable value 1t is fertile means OF creating
that enlightened public opinion on interna-
tional questions which has been heralded as
one OF the chief objects of league Interna-
tional diStrust often arises from miSunderstand-
ing which can be removed by open conference;
and points of contact are points OF mutual com
prehension."
Had there been such a League of Nations
before the recent world war, it would never
have been precipitated.
Now what shall we do-stay out Of the
UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD, put all OF
our money into taxes to maintain a vast stand
ing army and a mammoth military establish
ment equal to the power of the rest OF the
world-shall we prepare for another world wal
and take a position of open defiance against
our brother nations?
Or
Shall we take a position against another
world war and another food of blood and say
to the world
Eyes, we sign this covenant with you for
world progress and world peace?
Keep these questions in mind when you
hear Senator Johnson ct al calling you into
that six TO one shell game in an effort 10 pre-
vent ratification of the peace treaty and the
covenant.