Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-11


seem to arise when we speak of any
thing which seems to involve an alliance.
But I do not believe that when Wash
ington warned us against 'entangling
alliances he meant for one moment that
we should not join with other civilized
nations of the world, if method could
be found to diminish war and encourage
peace"
No, it was not President Wilson, nor Mr. Taft,
nor DR.. Lowell of Harvard, nor any of the
advocates of the pending plan for League
of Nations. The author Of those well-weighed
and sterling words was Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, of Massachusetts, who is now joined
with the provincial opponents of plan
for International concord and co-work-
ing. 1t was three years ago that Sen
ator Lodge thus expressed himself, before his
country had entered the world war and had
taken on the world responsibilities which it
bears today. Further back, in the spring OF
1915, when we're still more remote from
these responsibilities, the Bay State Scion
declared: ut may seem Utopian at this mo-
ment to suggest union of civilized nations
in order to put controlling force behind the
maintenance Of peace and international order,
but it is along this path that we must travel
If we are to attain any measure to the end
we all desire of peace upon earth" When
the war flood was roaring at its full and no
proposals for the maintenance of future peace
eloquently preaching the doctrine which
President Wilson now seeks to make real and
operant But the struggle having ceased and
opportunity for definite influence in behalf
ofthe League idea arising, Mr.. Lodge strange
ly~betakes himself to the ranks of the obstruc-
tionists. AS recently as last December he was
saying, eve cannot leave the Jugo-Slavs, the
CZechO-Slavs, and the Poles, the Lithuanians
and the other States which we hope to see
formed and marching upon the path of prog
ress and development, unaided and alone"
But now, when the occasion comes for put
ting his professions of generous faith into
practice, the Massachusetts statesman settles
into the front row of the seats of the scornful.
If this be the course and quality of the
most able and most distinguished of the oppo-
nents of the Presidents international policies,
what shall be said of the smaller fry? What
shall be said of the Borahs and Shermans
and their still smaller imitators? What
credence can the country give to group
whose very leaders sacrifice their own best
convictions to pygmy politics? If President
Wilson were not working for the construction
of League Of Nations, how vehemently
would these 'same gentlemen be urging it's
establishment! When prejudice and partisan
ship eat so deep into a Senator's mind as to
turn him against the humanest principles and
most benefcent policies of his age, then, in
deed, have his constituents and the entire
country cause to regret and to resent his
presence in national affairs. One should be
exceedingly careful, we grant, in imputing
motives of unworthy politics to any man, and
there is no form of intellectual cowardice so
contemplate as that which is afraid to admit
that ones opponent is altogether conscien-
tious But the public is due some better ex-
phantom than the opponents of the peace
league idea have yet given for their obstruc-
tive attitude. It is their right-not only their
right but their duty-to point out what they
consider shortcomings or excuses in the pro-
posed constitution of the League of Nations,
and to suggest corrections for the present
draft in no wise can be assumed to be per-
feet But there is a vast difference between
constructive criticism f this nature and the
purely negative, not to say picayunishly
churlish, cOursl of those who seek to wreck
the movement for League Of Nations with
out offering lny plan Or any hope in it's stead.
Have these men pondered what would be the
consequences if they should succeed in thWart-
ing and running the only plan for safeguard
ing c1v1nzat1on against another engulfng
war? They have not yet answered President
Wilson's momentous question: "If America
at this juncture should fail the world, what
would come of it?" Even the narrowest of
the obstructionists, we take it, are not I'M
mindful of their own country's material Sc
curity and wel'-being. Surely, then, if they
will think but an inch beyond their fog of
prejudice they can not miss seeing that should
America refuse at this critical juncture of
world affairs to join rightly disposed nations
in an effort for preserving justice and free
dom and peace she will have forfeited conf
dGnce and frie' Gship and will stand out as
the Ishmaelite of the earth. Today, as the
President declares, there is no nation in Eu-
rope that suspects the motives o. the United
States" and accordingly her influence in in
for councils iC- W. "a