Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-01

an old man afraid Of new things instead
Of being bold, courageous, constructive
document. We do not think the Repubi.
can party will follow his lead.
Men of all parties are looking for some
sort Of an international agreement which
will discourage any nation that seeks to
enlarge it's boundaries by war as Germany
has done It is not at present an issue OF
party politics in America, and woe betide
that party which tries to make opposition
TO IL an issue.
We can follow Mr.. Lodge when he de-
mands that the international agreement
be made so simple and definite that there
can be no quibbling about its terms. And
no fault can be found with him when he
says that the draft prepared should be
carefully examined and that all its defects
should be pointed out Free and full dis.
cussion is important. But that discussion
should be based on a sincere and honest
purpose to clarity the situation and to
make more effective the desires OF the
CIV lll6t' UdllbllS, IHNluu4iib llIt Clllltu
States. for world peace, not merely to find
fault and obstruct.
The nations which agree to the league
covenant will of course, surrender to
some degree their sovereignty. There car
be no league without this surrender; that
is. no group of men or OF nations can
agree TO act together for "A common cause
without the surrender by each man or
each nation of some degree of individual
liberty Sovereignty is surrendered in
every international treaty. 1t is the com.
monest thing in International relations. as
well as in social relations.
The Senator's charge that the covenant
was hastily drawn is trivial. The world
has been discussing the plan for several
years. Its purposes were we'll known. The
task of men putting those purposes into
words was not difficult. Their minds met
on the ends sought, and they framed the
document in straightforward language,
which has the merit of being understand.
able by the layman without the aid of a
lawyer.
Such weaknesses as there are in it are
due primarily TO an attempt to make it ac-
ceptabe to public opinion in America. 1t
does not provide for an international army
TO enforce It's provisions such as Colonel
Roosevelt said four years and half ago
was necessary to make league of nations
effective. There is no doubt that a world
police force which could instantly be
used to prevent a breach of world
peace would be better than the force
which must be raised or called to-
gether after it becomes necessary TO punish
an offending nation, as provided for in the
Paris document; and such force would be
more effective than the trade boycott. ar
rangements for which are made for the
punishment of recalcitrant nations in and
out Of the league. But Senator Lodge
would doubtless have been one of the first
to object to such a surrender by the Amer
lean Congress of the right to declare war
and to direct the use Of the armed force
Of the nation.
a
Doctrine and the alleged rejection of the
advice Of the fathers of the republic, there
is nothing in the charge. There Is In the
covenant the first formal international
recognition on record Of the principle on
which the Monroe Doctrine is based; that
is, the principle Of self-determination. This
in itself strengthens the American doc
trine The extension OF that principle to
all nations of the world can no more be
said TO weaken il than the establishment
Of republic in France can be said to
undermine government by the people on
this continent.
II the United States enters the league II
must assume all the obligations and re-
sponsibilities involved. 1t may be possible
TO find form OF words which, as the Sena
tor suggests, will place upon US the sole
responsibility as mandatory for the nation;
of this continent and thus preserve the
Monroe Doctrine" and at the same time
guarantee our full participation in the
task OF preserving the integrity of the
other nations in the league. But in any
event IL we enter the league at all we can
not shirk the burdens involved.
| There will be burdens without question
but Mt the worst they cannot be so heavy
as those under which we have been stag
gering for the last two years.
In spite of Senator Lodges fears n,
abandonment of the principles underlyin,
washington's Farewell Address is contem
plated. Europe in washington's day had
set of primary interests with which w
were not directly involved, although he
wars few years after Washington die,
produced complications which drew us int,
war with Great Britain in 1872. But to
day the primary interest Of Europe an,
America is Identical, namely, tine proven
tion OF wars.