The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1919-09-04
LEAGUE FULFILS
AMERICAN IDEAL
Herbert Hoover Says Democra.
cies Replaced Autocracies
at Our Bidding.
FOOD ADMINISTRATION CHIEF.
Urges Ratification on Ground That
Peace Treaty Will Collapse
Without League Of
Natlon4

VvseuO0S @0000O 0v
Natlone
Herbert Hoover is % deeply con.
cerned over the opposition to the
League Of Nations IN tho United
States that he has let himself be in
terviewed at length on the League sit
uation. In a talk with the New York
Times correspondent In Paris the
Food Administration Chief asserts that
having caused the League idea to prs.
vail America cannot abandon 1t. We
cannot withdraw. he says, and leave
Europe to chaos. ITO abandon the
League Covenant now means that the
treaty itself will collapse"
Mr.. Hoover's wide acquaintance
with conditions both here and abroad
bis reputation as an administrator, "a
man OF great affairs who deals with
facts. not theories. make his slate
ment one of the most importan, con.
tributions to the recent League discus.
gions.
There are one or two points in con.
nectfon with the present treaty." said
Mr.. Hoover, ''that need careful consid.
GRAFTON by the American public We
need to digest the fact that we have
for century and half been adyo.
eating democracy not only as a
remedy for the internal ills of all so.
ciety, but also as the only real safe.
guard against war. We have believed
and proclaimed, in season and out,
that q world in which there was
tree expression and enforcement Of
the will Of the majority was the real
basis Of government, was essential for
the advancement Of civilization, and
that We have proved its enormous hu.
nan benefits In our country.
American Ideas Have Prevailed.
I'VE went into the war to destroy
autocracy % menace to our own and
all ether democracies. II we had not
come trto the war every inch Of Euro
pean soil today would be under auto
cratic government. We have imposed
snr viii, On the world. eout of this
victory has come the destruction Of
the four great autocracies in Ger
many. Russta, Turkey and Austria and
he little autocracy in Greece. New
dsmocracies have sprung into being In
Poland, Finland, I.etvia. Lithuanla,
Esthonia, Czechoslovakia, Greater
Serbia. Greece. Siberia, and even Ger
many and Austria have established
democratic governments. Beyond
these host Of small republics, such
~ Armenia, Georgia. Azerbaijan and
ethers. have sprung up. and again as
q result Of this great world movement
the constitutions Of Spain. Rumania,
and even England. have made a final
ascent to complete franchise and de-
mocracy, although they still maintain
Q symbol Of royalty.
I'VE have been the living spring for
this last century and half from which
these ideas have sprung, and we have
triumphed. The world today, except
for q comparatively few reactionary
and communistic autocracies, 10 de,A.
ocratic. and we did 1t.
"A man who takes wife and
blssses the world with several infants
cannot 60 away and leave them on
the claim that there was no legal mar.
riags.
These infant democracles all have
political, social and economic prob
lens involving their neighbors that
are fraught with the most intense
friction. There are no natural bound.
aries in Europe. Races are not COM
pact; they blend at every border. They
need railway communication and sea
outlets through their neighbors' terri
tory.
'Many Of these states must for the
next few years struggle almost for
bare bones to maintain their very
existence. Every one of them is go
ing to do its best; to protect It's own
interests, even to the prejudice Of ita
neighbors.
Governments Lack Experience.
sWe in America should realize that
democracy, as n stable form Of govern.
ment as we know it, is possible only
with highly educated populations and
q large force of men who are capable
Of government. Few Of the men who
compose these governments have had
any actual experience at governing
and their populations are wocfully H.
literate.
'They will require a generation Of
actual national life in peace to de-
velOp free education and skill In gov.
ernment.
"Unless these countries have a guild.
ing hand and referee in their quarrels,
q court of appeals for their wrongs,
this Europe will go back to chaos.
Il there is such an institution, rep
resenting the public opinion of the
world, and able to exert its authority,
they will grow into stability. We can
not turn back now.
"There 10 another point which also
needs smphasis. World treaties :lith.
erto have always been based on the
theory Of q balance Of power. Strong
er races nave been sst up % dominate
the weaker. patty with Q view I,
maintaining stability and 70 . greater
dsgres with view to maintaining oc-
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