Evening star., 1919-09-20
LORD NORTHCL|FFE
SPEAKS FOR LEAGUE
Appeals to Americans to
Overlook Minor Faults for
Great Purpose.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.
BY Cable to The Star and the Chicago
Daily News. Copyright. 1919.

LONDON. England September 1S-
What do you think of the league of
nations reservations proposed by the
United States Senate committee on
foreign relations ?".I asked Of Lord
Northcliffe.
'If L understand them they would
exclude America from the league and
so destroy it," he replied
With what result?'
With the result that the highest
hopes of the war and the best fruits
of the long and laborious negotia-
tions in Paris would be sacrificed"
DO you see any harm i'll so-called
mild reservations"
Not if they do not reserve the vir-
tue of the treaty. l should see no
terpretative teXtual amendm ents
were it not for the prolonged negotia-
tions and delay they must involve
when every day saved saves life and
the wealth which is becoming more
and more necessary to preserve life"
rs the treaty entirely satisfactory
to Britain
Not by any means; we understand
many of the criticisms made upon
particular clauses of the covenant
and we ourselves have made many
such.
Source of Criticism.
However, some of the criticisms
arise from absurd misapprehension
What overrides everything else with
US as / fancy it will override every
thing else with the American people,
is the consideration that ratification
offers the world deliverance from the
bloody chaos ranging in wide regions
of Europe and Asia, gives the young
nations, now dickering with one an
other, a chance and motive for set
tling down and sets the feet of all
humanity in the path of reconstruc-
ton towards the liberty, prosperity
and peace.
1T should be remembered that we are
dealing with the most elaborate and
important scheme of civilization ever
Americans to overlook minor blem-
ishes in this scheme and fix their eyes
upon the great things it accomplishes
and the still greater things it
promises. Surely as we feel and as
the other allies feel for ends so great
some sacrifice should be easy.
DO you see any justification in the
expressed both in
Canada and America as to the effect
of the league upon the sovereignty
and freedom of action Of those coun-
trieS?"
Retains Complete Control.
Not the least bit Under the league
every nasion retains complete control
over its offensive and defensive re-
sources. No country does nor will
ingly would surrender it's independ
ence. None voluntarily would take
orders from any other nation. The
idea that the league can drive any
nation into war is fantastic. Legis-
lation is always necessary to make
mere apprehension that the legisla-
tive body would refuse it or would
refuse supplies under the pressure of
public opinion would prevent any re-
sponsible government and still more
any democratic government from en-
barking upon war which the public
conscience, and judgment did not
heartily support"
DO you think there can be perma
league of nations?"
II do not. Unless we organize
the nations against war. war will
come agi- in. Civilization disorganized
is a perpetual invitation to war. 1t
asked for and got the immeasurable
calamity now half breaking the back
of mankind. President Wilson is
right when he says that if Germany
had felt sure that England and
America would be against her she
would not have made her assault. II
power or combination of powers in
the future would be likely to attack
civilization with the practical GER
tainty that England and America
would stand together against the
aggressor"