South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-16

WORLD LEAGUE AT WORK.

DREsT WILSON returning to France. the
League of Natons-still-in existence. the same
League Of Nations that ne left behind upon coming
home; the same League that formulated when
America entered the when United States and
associated powers organized the supreme council
The only difference is that the council
instituted bring about peace; the present League
of Nations to maintain
the midst all dispute and uncertainty
League. this big up through the
fusion like mountain peak through the mist
The League OF Nations is actually in existence; :;
has been born while yet debating about il;
functioning Paris now. and has for weeks.
The league consists of the big powers that have
fought and won this war. supported by the goodwill
all smaller powers. II is busy winding up the
of that imperative work, it is looking
ahead Having made peace. will to other things
that need doing for worlds welfare and safety.
The league itself might be called spiritual thing.
made up Of the world. But the machinery
OF the league operating at Paris is perfectly
crete thing engaged in making those hopes practical
1t is inconceivable that the powess welded by
the representatives of the allied nations should be
thrown away when the immediate job been attenl-
ed to- That job will in reality be finished And
the government up Paris will not dissolve
nor abdicate form another it will continue its
work-because it must, and the statesmen presiding
over the destines of the nations
must.
1t IS not really question then of merely accepting
or rejecting some theoretical plan for world fedora
ton 1t is question providing legal machinery for
the continuance of the league in existence and
for the gradual extension of its and powers And
that will be done, not because any single man or
group of men wants it done. because it is in
evitable
Perhaps the chief trouble about of Ma
tons discussion has been that the champions and
antagonists of the plan presented both
phaszed their differences of opinion rather than their
agreements
Instead of looking for things the constitution that
they could accept. too many critics have looked only
for things they could object instead of inviting
the friendly cooperation too many FRIENDS
Of the plan have in their excessive zeal aienaed those
opponents still
Nothing in the way Of legislation governmental
organization has ever accomplished the
NJ unvielding antagonism Nothing permanent is &C
compished except by friendly cooperation Cooperation
Is surely possible on this constitution. in America
II the peace delegations had begun by emphasizing
their individual differences should have dozen
constitutions submitted the world instead of one
They began by establishing what they could agree on
thus building up oonstructvey. point by point until
they had roughly shaped something they thought would
prove workable It remains subject to the alteration
and approval Of all the nations concerned
The only way anything will ever come of this great
undertaking is for every nation including our own
TO follow the same process agreeing first upon those
par of the plan acceptable to everybody then
accepting Others one by if possible and agreeing
20 changes when after fair discussion it is found that
changes imperative.