The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-04-08

the people OF the United States. by
calling it the league Of nations"
Al equally insidlous and undoubt-
edIy more powerful appeal is made
by this covenant also TO the spirit Of
easy oppo-tunisn- Compromise Is
the rule OF the world Suppose 1t is
not all one wants; still, 1t Is some
thing. and perhaps one should sup
port IL more or less on faith In its
being start in the right direction.
But that is precisely what it IS not
Il has no quality or Characteristic
which essentially differentiates IT
from treaties that have hitherto
bound the European states into ocrn-
petitive and predatory groups. The
war has made the liberal spirit i'm
patient OF epportunism and compro-
mise. If all the cost and sacrifice in
VOWED in struggle to make the
world safe for democracy" have pur-
chased nothing better than a rescript
OF old treaties, if it has not brought
about the practical affirmation of a
single essential democratic principle,
we can not see any plce for oppor-
tunism IN judgment Faith. under
such circumstances, is not faith, but
indolent, Sinking credulity-
!
We have neTer discussed the pro-
posed alliance-eontract from the ma
tionalist point of view, for those
aspects OF it are sure 10 be quite
fully set forth by others We agree
with J. A Hobson that for America
it would be an entaugiing alliance
and ag such subversfEe OF cur best
traditions-and indeed, as President
Wilson himself admitted, subversive
Of certain elements Of our indepen-
dent sovereignty. These may be
valuable or not; we think they are
far too valuable TO surrender. What
interests us especially, however, is
the kind CT hands into which they
are proposed 10 be surrendered: and
here we find the terms OF the coyen-
ant far from reassuring. Any pro
poSal 10 surrender them into the
hands Of group of gentlemen like
those assembled al the Paris confer
encs, for instance, TO permit them TO
serve the purposes and carry out the
motives which the Lloyd Georges,
IClemenceaus. Orlandos, Balfours.
Lansings, and Sazonovs have ex-
hibited with unfailing regularity
throughout their course Of public
life. appears to US absolutely mad
Missile But we are content 10
leave this view Of the covenant TO
Senator Knox and his associates.
knowing that they viii say. every
thing for it that can be said. We
concern ourselves by preference with
that special view OF the covenant
which may perhaps without prejudice
be called the liberal view-and that
without any inflated pretensions TO
being an organ of liberal opinion.
We are simply in the very consider
able number of those whom Presi-
dent Wilson, By keeping up his per
perual semblance of hitting the right
nail on the head without ever really
doing it, has bemocled and deluded;
and In all we shall find TO say about
the league covenant, we speak only
for ourselves and such of this num-
Der as agree with US.
The first half-dozen OF the for
liberal hopes and stimulate liberal
enthusiasm above measure. Under
stood for what they meant in the
plain natural sense of language--and
not for whatever Mr.. Wilson's sub
SeGuent crosses might make ITEM
mean-they could reasonably be PC
cepted, and by many were accepted,
as a defnite statement of the pur-
poses for which the allies were fight
ing-the purposes for which tie
United States, at least, was certainly
fighting. Open diplomacy; frea'lom
Of the seas; freedom of trade: dis
armament: the principle Of safSie-
termination; and the rights of snail
nations-such was Mr.. Wilson's lofty
bid for the liberals liberation Of the
war Caesari appelasti. ad Caesarem
ibis. What we have gotten is con-