The Washington times., 1919-07-10

itself; the IonB-conllhuoO SuPoI' lSAoh
of the task Of reparation which Ger
many was to undertake to complete
within the next generation might en-
tirely break down; the reconsidera-
ton and revision Of administrative
ARRANGEMENTS and restrictions which
the treaty prescribed but which 1t
was recognized might not prove OF
lasting advantage or entirely fair IL
too long enforced would be imprac-
ticabIe.
Humane Thesis.
The promises governments were
making to one another about the way
in which labor was to be dealt with,
by law not only but in fact as well,
would remain a mere humane thesis
if there was to be no common tribunal
of opinion and judgment to which
liberal statesmen could resort for the
influences which alone might secure
their redemption. A league Of free
nations had become practical neces-
sity.
Examine the treaty of peace and
you will find that everywhere
throughout it's manifold provisions It's
trainers have felt obliged to turn 10
the League OF Nations as an indls-
pensable fundamentally for the
been their purpose to set up in the
world-the world Of civilized men.
That there should be a league OF
nations to steady the counsels and
maintain the peaceful understand
ings of the world, to make, not treat
les alone, but the accepted principles
| Of International law as well, the ac-
tual rule of conduct among the gov
ernments of the world, had been "one
of the agreements accepted from the
| first as the basis of peace with the
central powers. The statesmen OF all
the belIigerent countries were agreed
that such a league must be created
to sustain the settlements that were
to be effected. But at first / think
there was q feeling among some Of
them that. while II must be attempt
ed, the formation OF such a league
was perhaps a counsel OF perfection
! which practical men. long expert
enced On the world Of affairs, must
agree to very cautiously and with
many misgivings. It was only as
the difficult work OF arranging an all
but universal adjustment OF the
worlds AFFAIRS advanced from Gay. 10
day from one stage Of conference 10
another that 1t became evident 70
them that what they were seeking
/
written upon paper, to be interpreted
and applied by such methods as the
chances of politics might make avail
able IL they did not provide a means
| of common counsel which all were
Obliged to accept, common authority
whose decisions would be recognized
as decisions which all must respect
Turned to League.
And so the most practical, the most
skeptical among them turned more
and more to the league as the author
| ~ through which international action
was to be secured, the authority Win
out which, as they had come to see H.
| n would be difficult to give assured et-
feet either to this treaty or 10 any
other International understanding
upon which they were to depend 1or
| the maintenance Of peace. The fact
tbat the covenant of the league was the
frst substantive part of the treaty
! o be worked gu and agreed upon,
while all else was in solution. helped
| IN make the formulation Of the rest
easier. The conference was, after all,
| NOT to be ephemeral. The concert OF
nations was to continue, under q
de6nite covenant which had been
agreed upon and which all were con-
yinced was workable. They could go
forward with confidence to make ar
ranRements intended to be permanent
TLe most practical of the conferees
we're at last the most ready to refer
to the league of nations the superin-
ltendence Of all interests which did not
admit of immediate determination, OF
Ian administrative problems Whlch
were to require q continuing over
sight What had seemed council
| of perfection had come to seem a
IIIain counsel of necessity. The league
| Of nations was the practical states
mans hope of success in many OF the
most difficult things he was attempt
ing.
Concert of Nations.
And IL had validated itself in the
| thought of every member Of the con-
| ference as something much bigger
much greater every way than a mere
instrument for carrying out the pro-
| visions of a particular treaty. II was
universally recognized that all the
| peoples Of the world demanded OF the
! conference that it should create such
a continuing concert of free nations
as would make wars OF aggression
/ and spoliation such as this that has
| lust ended forever impossible.
A cry had gone out from every
home in every stricken land from
| which sons and brothers and fathers
had gone forth to the great sacrifice
J that such a sacrifice should never
again be exacted. 1t was manifest
| why it had been exacted. 1t had been
exacted because one nation desired
| dominion and other nations had
known no means of defense except
ornaments and alliances.
| War had lain at the heart Of every
arrangement of the Europe-of ev-
cry arrangement OF the world-that
| preceded the war. FESTIVE peoples
| had been told that fleets and armies.
which they toiled to sustain. meant
| peace; and they now knew that they
had been lied to; that fleets and arm
| les had been maintained to promote
national ambitions and meant war.
Nothing But Force.
They knew that no old policy meant
anything else but force. force-al-
ways force. And they knew that IL
was intolerable. Every true heart in
| the world, and every enlightened
| judgment demanded that, at what
| ever cost Of Independent action, every
| government that took thought for its
people or for justice or for ordered
! freedom should lend itself to a new
purpose and utterly destroy the old
| order of international politics. States
| men might see difficulties, but the
! people could see none and could