The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-05-08
The Worlds Next Step
No.
The LeaE1e OF Nations azd ths Pm
RES Of CiTflfza1ioa
BIZ CLARENcE L SPEED


formation OF q league OF nations Ten
tative plans for its constitution have
been approved at the peace conference
greatest governments In the world
have agreed on the tentative details
Reports indicate that delegates from
other nations assembled at Paris to tx
on the terms for ending the great war
are ready to sign a treaty creating a
league Of nations. Even the defeated
nations approve the idea II not the
details 1t may be taken now as q
fOregone conclusion that the world
as whole has decided TO act In con-
cert, to organize to prevent wars In
future. to 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 falteringiy and with
many slips backward. From the pre-
historic times when it was every man
for himself, down through the ages
when small tribes despoiled their
neighbors, when despotisms OF the an
cient world struggled for mastery,
when feEdal lords who were little
more than robbers made wars for
booty, to 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 neighbors
Slowly, very slowly, the ideas Of
right and justice as we now under
80 T1,-r-,
learned that to protect himself he had
to live in accord with his neighbors.
But his neighhors 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
"neighbors" came to mean all the
members Of great tribes, and finally
all citizens Of a nation
But scientific progress outStripped
for a time mankind's social progress.
There came the application Of steam,
the discovery Of electricity, the tele-
graph, the wireless, the flying machine,
which made the world a neighborhOod-
Trade was carried on from one end
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 to
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 neighbor's property just because
he wanted it, of enslaving his fellows,
Of fighting duels. of carrying concealed
weapons.
He gave up all these ancient privi-
Ieges and depended on his government
for protection. He did so in spite OF
the fact that there were individuals in
every land who refused to 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 IRE
quently, until before the great war
broke over the world the greater part
Of the earth's surface was settled, Or
derby, safe.
Yet it never seemed to occur TO
these same men who had submitted to
so much curtailment 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 to be citizens Nations built
up huge armies and navies, glared at
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
unwillingly accepted responsibilities
IN the Philippines, had reached a
stage of development where they no
longer considered it the proper thing
mercilessly to exploit dependent peO-
pies, yet this sentiment was far from
general. Land grabbing was the &C
cepted practice. Peaceful civilization
was held back by the necessity OF de-
voting so much OF the resources OF
every land TO preparation for a
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 fighting and the whole
world in the misery it entailed- Man.
only through the bitterest suffering in
all history, at last learned that If he
were to hope In future to live in peace
and enjoy prosperity he must recog-
nize that his neighborhOod comprised
the whole world and act accordingly.
Thus came about the proposal for
the league Of nations. The world is
taking the logical step It is fairly on
its way to a higher civilization. There
may be slips baekward-prObably VIII
be-but time for the great experiment
f. here
Further information regarding league
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