Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-02
Franklin on a League for Peace.

Omaha, May 81. To the Editor of
The Bee: "Observations Of Benja-
min Franklin in reading History"
May 10. 1881, 1873 years ago, Benia-
min Franklin wrote the following on
a Party Of Virtue Cor league of
nations):
"The the great affairs Of the
world, the wars, the revolutions, etc,
are carried on and affected by par
ties.
THAT the view of these parties is
their present general interest, or
what they take to be such.
THAT the different views of these
different parties occasion all confu-
sion.
There seems to me at present to
be great occasion for raising a
united Party of Virtue Neague Of
nations) by forming the virtuous and
god men of all nations into a regular
body, to be governed by suitable,
good and wise rules, in which good
and wise men may probably be more
unanimous in their obedience to, than
common people are to common laws.
Il at present think that whoever
attempts this Alright and Is well
qualified cannot fail of pleasing God
and of meeting with success"
The league of nations is not new
had the same vision way back in
1871.
The sponsors and advocates of the
present plan of the league of ma
tons have assured us that it is
practical thing, a beautiful ideal,
that will do away with all future
wars and bring all the nations of
the world together in the cause of
justice. If this is true, then the
people of the United States want the
league of nations to become a reality
without any further unnecessary de-
lays.
On the other hand, those OPP
posed to the league Of nations are
telling us that, as the league of ma
tons now stands, it is Impractical
that the United States cannot ratify
it unless it is changed in many re-
spects
We hear cries of derision and
warning from many Of our most IL
lustrious United States senator's, both
against the league Of nations as it
now stands and against the peace
treaty presented to Germany. OF
course this opposition may be dis
counted. to some extent as the
United States senate has been COM
pletely ignored In the ratification of
both the peace treaty and the league
Of nations.
Somewhere in our constitution, I
believe you will find clause to the
effect that treaty negotiation and
ratification are in the joint hands of
the president and the senate.
So far our senate has had no
share in the making of the peace
treaty. Our senate is not In the
habit of being dictated to, as the
majority Of them are capable OF
thinking for themselves Nor do
they all agree with Mr.. Wilson's at
titude that he is the one efficient
person able to carry out the peace
treaty and the league Of nations
program.
The main trouble seems to be that
a great many of its former allied
supporters are now losing or have
lost sight of the great principle in
volved and are scrambling for spoils.
Probably good suggestion would
be that MIR. Wilson and his foreign
associates should be furnished with
copies of Benjamin Franklin's plans
for a United Party of Virtue" call
ing their attention to the following
which Franklin seemed to think
most important:
by forming the virtuous and good
men of all nations into a regular
body, to be governed by suitable
good and wise rules, in which good
and wise men may probably be more
unanimous in their obedience to,