Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-08-29
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democracy, rs a stable form Of govern.
ment as we know it, Is possible only
with highly educated populations and
a large force of men who are capable
Of government. Few Of the men who
compose these governments have had
any actual experience at governing
| and their populations are woefully IL
lterate.
"Thcy will require generation of
actual national life in peace to de-
| velOp free education and skill In gov
| ernment
"CnleSS these countries have guild
| ing hand and referee in their Quarrels,
| this Europe will go back to chaos.
II there Is such an institution, rep
-esenting the pubic opinion of She
world, and able to exert it's authority,
they will grow into stability. We cna-
not turn back now
There is another point which alSm
needs emphasis. World treaties hitN-
| erto have always heen based on the
| theory of a balance OF power. Strong
er races have been set up to dominate
the weaker, partly with view to
! ma!raaining stability and to greater
| degree with Il view to maintaining oc-
equations and positions for the re-
ac;inuarieS Of the world.
The balance of power is born of
armies and navies, aristocracics,
autocsacies, and reactionaries general
ly, who can find employment and
domination in these institutions, and
treaties founded on this basis have
established stability after each great
war for shorter or longer time, but
never more than a generation.
america came forward with a new
idea. and we insisted upon it's injec-
ton into this peace conference We
claimed that it was possible to set
up such piece Of machinery with
such authority that the balance Of
power could be abandoned as q relic
of the middle ages. We. compelled an
entire construction of this treaty and
every word and line in It to bend to
this, Ida.
"Outside of the League Of Nations
the treaty itself has many deficiencies.
1t represents compromises between
many men and between many selfish
interests, and these very compromises
and deficiencies are multiplied by the
many new nations that have entered
upon its signature, and the very safety
OF tlie treaty itself lies: in court Of
appeal for the remedy Of wrongs in
the treaty.
Benefits Of the League.
'OEe thing is certain. There Is no
body Of human beings. so wise that a
treaty could be made that would not
develop injustice ana prove to have
been wrong In some particulars. AS
The covenant stands today there is
place at which redress can be found
and through which the goodwill Of
the world can be enforced. The very
machinery by which the treaty Is to.
be executed, and scores of points yet
to be solved, which have been referred
to the League of Nations as method
OF securing more mature judgment in,
less heated atmosphere, justifies the
creation of the League. IS
'To abandon the covenant now
means that the treaty itself will col
lapse.
1T would take the exposure OF but
q few documents at my hand to prove
that l had been the most reluctant Of
Americans to become involved in this
situation in Europe. But having gone
| In with our eyes open and win de-
termination to free ourselves ana the
| rest Of the world from the dangers
| that surrounded us. we cannot now
pull back from the job. II Is no use
] TO hold Il great revival aild then go
away leaving y church for continued
| services half done
eve have succeeded In most OK
| tra0rdnary degree In imposing upon
Europe the complete conviction that
we are absolutely disintercstcd. The
consequence is HAT there is scarcely
a man, woman or child who can read
In Europe that does not look To the
United States as the ultimate source
from whicli they must receive assur-
anccs and guardianship I'm the liberties
which they have now secured after
~ man! E'h'rHtionS Oh struggle
This is not problem of protecting
the big nations, for the few that re-
main can well look aftcs themselves
What we have done is TO set up a
score Of little dcm0Cracies, and IL the
American people could visualize their
handiwork they would insist with the
same determination that they did In
l917 that our government proceed"