The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-09-26
Purpose Of tho League.

LIS CHleL pun poSc VI lue League u
Nations Is to keep the world In a
state Of peace. Another way Of ex-
pressing 1t Is to say that the league
Is designed to prevent wars
We have just finished the greatest,
which Is to say the most horrible, Of
all conflicts between nations. We
have won a glorious victory. But that
victory will be wasted unless this war
has made the nations ready to
put aside their differences and CO.
operate to end war forever.
1t is not enough, however, to pro-
vide for the prevention Of wars and
the settlement Of disputes after they
have arisen. We must foresee causes
of trouble and remove them before
they have reached an acute stage.
Hence there must be provision for fire.
quent consultations Of members Of the
league for exchange of information,
for agreement on common policies and
for the gradual formation Of rules of
international law which at present are
uncertain and incomplete.
The representatives of the great
| IIct IdilOllS WlllIl NOl III wal ldNC
met at Paris and, after long consulta-
ton, have drawn an agreement which
they believe will accomplish these
ends. At the very least 1t will set In
motion great changes which will re-
suit In universal benefit to all man.
kind. This agreement is called the
Covenant Of the League OF Nations
o,-J - To-; ,,.% - fhn Noe cn ty,otv
There will be no league worth talk
ing about, however, unless the United
States is a member. The decision as
to whether the United States shall
Join rests with our Senate. The Sena-
tors, chosen by the people, will in the
end vote as the people desire. For
this reason the people themselves will
decide whether or not the United
States will Join the league. In this
question every citizen should ave a
voice. He or she can express opinion
either by writing direct to Senators,
by letters to the newspapers, by
speeches in his lodge or local union or
in conversation with friends.
Methods Of Maintaining Peace.
Since the prime object Of the
League Of Nations Is to preserve peace
and to reap the benefits Of peace
let us see how the league will operate
to accomplish that purpose.
In the first place it will seek to re-
move the main causes Of war. BY the
will create q means for the peaceful
settlement Of disputes between ma
tons. Then It will seek to compel the
nations to make use Of this court.
This is nothing more nor less than an
application Of the rules and customs
governing private individuals in civil.
lied communities to the relations be-
tween nations.
Secondly, the League will seek 10 re-
move a great temptation to war by
the general agreement to reduce the
size of armies and navies. This viii
halt the race for military and nava
supremacy which was largely respon
sible for the war just ended. The
amount Of armament any nation may
maintain will be strictly defined
Thus it will be impossible for ont
country to overwhelm It's neighbor b!
unexpected attack, In the way tina
Germany crushed Belgium and woult
have crushed France had not the othel
democratic nations gone to her aid. Tn
idea Is that each country may keel
an army and navy large enough to en-
: able 1t to fulfil Its responsibilities q
a member Of the League. but no larger
The United States, for example,, prob
ably would be expected to keep
check on Mexico and the state OF cor
slant turmoil in that country would b
taken into consideration In decidin
how large an army we should need.
The third important safeguar
which the League will set up is q sys
tenn Of penalties. This will make q
outlaw Of any nation or group OF M
l tons which goes to war In violatio
Of the rules Of the League. The out
IL