El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-13
CAN Mr.. WILSON BECOME HEAD
Of THE WORLD PEACE LEAGUE?
Plan For Selecting the Head of the League Of Nations
Reasons For Frequent Changes In Delegates and
Craftsmanship; Wilson Hardly Has A Chance
To Be At It's Head.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

WASHINGTON. D. C. March IS
" Can president Wilson become
president Of the world2' Is he seek
ing to be the first president Of the
League Of Nations" or is he ambitious
10 take a prominent part in the league
after he retires from the presidency
Of the United States in March. 1922
These questions are asked by many
persons in the United States. but they
are never even mentioned in Paris. for
nobody over there thinks Of any per-
son as the super-exeeutive Of the
new Society Of Nations. And any sup
position that Mr.. Wilson viii have
anything to DO with the League of Ma
tons after he ceases TO be president
Of the United States is based upon a
misunderstanding Of the character Of
the league itself 1t isn't TO be an as
s0clation or OrEa nizatiOn OF a private
character like the American branch
OF the League TO Enforce Peace or the
Carnegie Endowment for Peace. Tt is
not TO have elected officers OF a
specified tenure or honorary presi-
dents. It is to be a governmental in
stitution and every delegate to il viii
Of the nation which selects him
Ambassador TO League.
America doubtless viii always be
represented al meetings Of the league
by q special ambassador. If Mr.. Will
son IS 10 have anything TO do with the
league after he retires from the white
house he viii have to be appointed I
special ambassador by the next presi- I
dent Of the United States. II anybody /
believes the next chief executive Of (.
this country is going to be a Demo- I
crat and that he viii utilize the serv-
30 na# HHnrr
be identified with the league, but he /
would only have the rank Of ambassa-
dor and would be subject to the direc- /
lions Of the man who sits in the white .
house. circumstance which doesn't ]
sound plausible with respect TO Mr.
Wilson, who is more likely to prefer
II a Republican president is elected
in 1920, then very obviously Mr.. Wiz
son wouldn't be appointed special
ambassador On the whole his
chances Of being an official Of the
United States government after 1921
are slim, and only as an official acting
in behalf Of a government could he be
Identified with the league Of nations.
He might be selected as umpire in a
dispute or might be asked occasion
ally to sit on a court Of arbitration by
foreign countries in controversy with
each other. but Woodrow Wilson viii
have no more to do with the League
OF Nations after his term OF office IN
the white house expires than viii Mr..
Lloyd George or n Clemenceau or
sfEnor Orlando the moment the cabi-
nets over which they respectively pre-
side are overturned
Personnel to Change Often.
The personnel Of the executive coun-
ell OF the league, wherein the United
States. Great Britain. France, italy
and japan viii have one delegate each,
wiz be subject to frequent change.
So far as all the delegates are con-
.erned. they win do business only with
the officially accredited representa-
ives Of governments. That is why the ]
executive council Is not to have a per
manent president. There viii always
have 70 be a chairman, but he viii be