The diamond drill., 1919-04-26
The Worlds Next Step
No.
The League of Nations and the Frog
rsss Of Civilization
Br cLARENcE Z. sPEEp

AOiinhtpu VI ledsut VI hhAiohSs aNH
tatIve plans for It's constitution have
been approved az the peace conference.
Representatives OF fourteen OF the
greatest governments I'm the world
have agreed on the tentative details.
Reports IndlcSte that delegates from
other nations assembled AZ Paris 10 fix
on the terms for ending the great war
are ready TO sign treaty creating
league OF nations. Even the defeated
nations approve the idea II not the
delallsg IL may be taken now as
foregone conclusion that the world
as a whole has decided To act In con-
cert, 10 organize TO prevent wars in
future. 10 protect the weak and pre-
vent aggression by the strong.
Since the dawn OF history the world
has been progressing logically toward
this step, though falteringly and with
many slips backward. From the pre-
historic times when II was every man
for himself, down through the ages
when small tribes despoiled their
neIghbors, when despOtisms OF the an
clent world struggled for mastery,
when feudal lords who were little
more than robbers made wars for
booty, 10 the development OF the mod
ern nations as they stood five years
ago, man had slowly been learning
that he could not live for himself
alone, but must depend on the Co
operation OF his nelghbors.
Slowly. very slowly. the ideas OF
right and justice as we now under
stand them grew up. Primitive man
learned that TO protect himself he had
20 live In accord with his neighbors.
But his neIghbors then were the few
OF his fellow beings who lived In his
immediate vicinity. They were sepa-
rated from others by wide stretches Of
jungle, plain or swamp.
AS human population increased
"nelghbors" came 10 mean all the
members of great tribes, and finally
all citizens OF a nation.
But scientific progress outstripped
for time mankind's social progress.
There came the application of steam,
graph. the wireless. the flying machine.
which made the world a nelghborhood.
Trade was carried on from one end
of the world TO the other. No nation
could live an independent life. Failure
of the cotton crop In Texas meant pri-
walton and suffering In Manchester; a
change in the tariff laws OF the United
States might mean great distress in
far distant countries. Nevertheless
the nations OF the earth continued 10
act entirely independently. each look
ing for its own selfish interests with
out regard for the interests of the
remainder Of the world.
The individual In every civilized
country had long ago recognized the
Justice OF the limitation OF his rights.
He no longer claimed the privilege Of
going out and killing an enemy with
whom he had disagreed .of stealing
his nelghbor's property just because
he wanted H. Of enslaving his fellows, !
OF fighting duels, of carrying concealed !
He gave up all these ancient prlvl- !
leges and depended on his government |
for protection. He did so in spite of |
the fact that there were individuals in |
every land who refused 10 do likewise |
He suffered at times from the thief !
the rObber, the murderer. yet as the |
centuries went by he took the law
into his own hands less and less FREE
quently. until before the great war |
broke over the world the greater part |
Of the earths surface was settled or
derly safe.
Yet IL never seemed 60 occur 10 \
these same men who had submitted 10 |
50 much curtallment Of their individ- |
ual privileges that there might ever
be any Joint exercise Of power by all |
Of the states of which they severally |
happened 10 be citizens Nations built |
up huge armies and navies, glared nj
each other across frontiers, seized the
lands of weak or undeveloped peoples,
and exploited conquered territories for
their own benefit
True. some countries, notably Eng |
land. which held subject colonies In all
parts OF the earth. and the United |
States, which only recently had rather
accepted responsibilities !
In the Philippines, had reached
stage of development where they no
longer considered II the proper thing
to exploit dependent peo
Piles. yet this sentiment was far from
general. Land grabbing was the ac-
cepted practice Peaceful civilization
was held back by the necessity OF de-
voting SO much of the resources OF /
every land 80 preparation for
struggle that was deemed inevitable.
Finally. IN 1914. the storm broke.
War, costing millions Of lives and
scores OF billions OF dollars; swept
over the earth, involving nation after
nation In the lighting and the whole
world IN the misery Il entailed. Man.
only through the bItterest suffering In |,
all history. at last learned that II he
were 20 hope IN future 20 live In peace
and enjoy prosperity he must recog
nze that his neighhorhood comprised /