Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-07-10
BACKED ONLY BY THE PEOPLE

That President Wilson has the country behind him III ms
efforts to establishaa lasting peace throughout the Worlu Is DC
coming more and more apparent now that the pfesiuen' Il
home again and the people have the opportunity TO snow MN
their feelings. The-swing around the circle Whicn .e -
dent is about to take, carrying him as far as the Pacific COAST,
,u;l, have q great bearing on the situation for in this manner
can the popularity of the principles for which the President
has fought so hard at the peace conference be Judged.
The senate formally received the peace treaty today. The
nearer the time comes for definite action ON the senators part
the more hesitating and doubtful becomes the opposition.
There is no doubt that the American people want peace and
4bey want it as soon as possible. Furthermore, they want a
lasting peace. When they declared during the war that this
must be the last great struggle of this kind IN which men go
forth to slaughter each other, they meant it.
Without some sort of an understanding between civilized
nations, however--something more binding than the hague
peace conventions that have been tried and found wanting
no progress whatever toward doing away with war entirely
some SORT of a league of nations to enforce peace has been
the dream of leading men of the world for many years. No one
knew exactly what form it would take, but that something OF
the sort was necessary even such opponents to the present
league as Senators Lodge and Knox agreed. Surely these men
must have intended that the United States would become a
part of such a league as they had in mind whatever their ideas
might be.
But, of course, any nation joining the league would have
to submit itself to the rules and regulations of the league. Nat
urally, this would necessitate the surrender of a certain amount
Of independence on the part of each member nation just how
those who now oppose the United States entering the league
on the ground that she will surrender some of her sovereignty
expected to have a league of nations and not have each nation
submit to the rules of such a league is hard to understand. In
every league, combination or partnership there has got to be a
certain amount of subordination ON the part of all.
Then, again, the objection is raised about America join
ing any league of nations in which the country will play only
q minor part. But that is the only part that any one nation
can play. Surely the critics of the league as at present planned
could not expect the United States alone to out-vote all the
other nations of the world combined. That would be world
domination worthy of an imperial Germany. No one nation can
control the league if it did it would not be a league. Not even
Great Britain with all her dominions can dominate the league.
Needless to say, the United States with her vast resources,
comes nearer controlling the league than any other power.
When President Wilson gets out among the people, who
have learned to have confidence in him even though they can
not always understand his ways for doing things, the truth Will
be brought home in no mistaken manner and there will be lit
tie left for the senate to do but to raify the treaty as it now
stands. That it is the best treaty that could be drawn under the
circumstances there is no doubt. We are sure that those who
are sincere in their desires for a lasting peace heartily ap-
prove ii.