Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-31
SECRE ETARY~ LANE:
FAVORS LEAGUE Or
NATIONS; SHOULD
HAVE BEEN BEFORE
Bryan Did Splendid Work in
Right Direction, Says Cao-
met Officer Not Taken Ser
iouSIy by People of Country,
ROOSEVELT BELIEVED
IN ITS NECESSITY
KaiSer'S Vast Army Stood in
Path of Such Plan Until War
Destroyed His ForCeSi Patri-
otiSm of Directors Conceded
10y mosnrno JouRrAL SPECIAL LEASED wrRtl

Washington, July 3O.-Patrlotlsm
of men who no, 4 differing views on
the wisdom of ratifying the peace
treaty including the league of ma
tions covenant is not to be challenged
so long as they think above the
plane of partsanship," Secretary Lane
said tonight before a mass meeting
Of government employees.
ut is not an easy question to an
swer," Mr.. Lane said. adding that it
was one ito which we wish an Amer
lean answer
And it takes courage" he declared,
whether we stand stiIl and risk the
scorn of a waiting. eager world, or
break through out inertia and take
the step that leads to a multitude or
new relationships and possible obli-
cations"
viii Not Hazard Nation.
The view of the ordinary citizen,
the secretary thought, was that as
many obstacles as possible should be
put in the way Of nations desiring to
make war "but to be left as free as
possible to follow our own designs,
knowing that these do not endanger
the peace of the world"
I'VE will not hazard our national
life or the right of our people to de-
termine their own institutions and
destiny" he said. "But with these
safeguarded we will go far for the
sake of the world.
Democracy, after all, Is but a
counting of noses, and we may pre-
sumo much for policy which the
nnn Lon IpY Ia, -
the most civilized of the worlds peo-
pie have endorsed"
Roosevelt Favored League.
Mr. Lane said he believed everyone
would have preferred that the league
should have been born "in a different
way, at a different time" When
Theodore Roosevelt returned from his
trip to Africa, he added, the former
president made the strongest appeal
any national leader had then voiced
for such league"
Then was the day for its creation" Z"
Secretary Lane continued. But the
world did not see the danger it was
in"
Such men as President Taft and Mr..
Root committed themselves to the
project then, Mr.. Lane said. but "the
stern figure Of the kaiser backed by
MS Stanulng army OF 2,Vuu,OUU men
stood in their path. William Jennings
Bryan, as secretary of state. had
moved in the same direction with his
negotiation or arbitration treaties, Mr..
Lane continued, adding:
Bryan Not Taken Seriously.
LET us be frank. We of America
did not take the efforts of Mr. Bryan
with any degree of seriousness. We
thought him a noble minded vision
ary. Yet his plan is incorporated as
the first step of the pyramid of the
present proposed league"
1t was not until the war come that
any but tentative steps could be taken
toward the formation of a peace
league, Mr.. Lane said, and If the pres
ident had not made the effort to Sc
cure it. I'VE would have said he was a
gutter
Secretary Lane said he had been
unable to find in the covenant any
surrender of American rights more
than every existing rule of interna-
tional law involved. 1t was he said,
essentially a gentleman's agreement"
based on the assumption that each
party to it honestly desired to adhere
to the principles for which the league
stands,