Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-02-25
II Nc lsaaus-then What?

nations Is 10 De allowed ~. oOo anu
bloom and bear its blasting fruit.
leads US TO ask aaotaer equally ap-
pailine: Has anybody considered the
possible consequences 70 the United
States should il turn down the
proposition ard endeavor to with
draw into It's shell OF provincial iso-
.lation and seek to remain there?
This. we apprehend. is exactly what
the opponents and critics Of the
league are counseiiing as the only
conceivable course for the United
States 20 take. and insofar as
powe. with them lies they are going
to pledge themselves. their voices
and their votes in the United States
Senate TO bring il to pass.
X is weil-nigil outside the range
OF possibility that this country will
decline 10 become a member OF the
league and as such accept all the
privileges and sponsibilities that go
with it, but while the question Is un-
der discussion i. is fair to introduce
an possible objections and arguments
and to arrive at a verdict only after
the evidence is al in. In the situa-
ton We are abou. TO introduce We lay
dam TO no such c.everness in plan
ming d war as that sketcned by the
Eo;,oa News Bureau and quoted IN
MONDAYS editoria! column OF the
Journal. That Is scheme worthy Of
Me und Gott in the palnl!eSt and
bloodiest days Of that concern. All
we are claiming for our scheme as
Sc. forth below is that il is impossi-
lie and therefore absurd i: the
Lifted States enters the league OF
1a-ions: i, is not at all impossible il
Il, stays out. On tho contrary !. is
Utmost inevitable.
Today as everybody knows the
United States IS persona gratissima
in Europe, Asia and Africa. the most
loved, most respected and therefore
most powerful nation on the face OF
the earth. She is looked up to as a
nation Of ideals and pure aims that
place her above the sordid CONNER
c.alism Of other countries. She is
trusted in wha, she says and does.
,Sone 0. US may know facts to the
contrary that do not wholly justify
this most gratifying world opinion.
nevertheless the belief exists and 70
all intents and purposes that is the
same thinG). The reason why the
United States has such power IN the
peace conference all ou, of proper
ton to her participation in the war,
Is because she has no axe to grind
and does not insist on a share OF the
,ooils: she wants only justice to all
,1eo. and peaceful intercourse among
The civilized nations Of the earth.
This. in brief. is a snap shot Of our
selves as we look to other nations,
not forgetting the fact that our
President has s,riven for the league
ol nations ever since he went to
Paris. and has ignored the ending OF
the war with the central powers for
that purpose.
Now if this nation refuses to have
anything to DO with the league, where
does it put US: eve are not speak
ing At all Of the personal chagrin of
President Wilson. but Of our national
position before the world). We would
lose our marvellous prestige. unpar-
alleled in the history Of the world:
our word Of honor would be as good
as Germany's only: our opportunity
for leadership and guidance Won j
vanish irreparaoly; We would stand
~. as arch hypocrites and our cher
ished ideals. including the Declara-
ton of Independence. would become
the hcllowest kind of a mockery. So
much for the mora! side OF il.
Now, suppose this comes to pass.
how long would it be before the other
nations would give way to the I'M
bvidled hatreds and strifes that have
always characterized their neighbor-
~ upheavals heretofore? There is no
doubt that from the time America
went into the war in April. 1917, she
possessed the moral leadership. She
it was that brought about the united
military command. the allied war
council. the coordination Of all de-
partments Of the war machinery
which had previously been allowed
to work Independently and selnshly
for their own separate advantage. as
they saw it. Now in the peace con-
ference much more America is hold
Ing the reins and not allowing each
nation TO take what she wants and
the devil take the hindmost.
II America should repudiate the
league OF nations and deliberately
remove her benign influence what
would hinder the old hatreds from
coming to the surface with re-
doubled vigor? We venture to pre-
dict that If such a thing should hap
pen. 10 less than Ave years the