The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-03-20
BACKING DOWN.

| senators ana newspapers opposed
to League OF Nations assalled the
that they in effect proclaimed their
hostility to the whole plan. AL
| though a few of them now speak as
though all that they want is amend
mentS, it is assumed in most cases
that President Wilson is obstinately
or hereafter. Those who misrepre-
sent the covenant will not, of course,
hesitate to belle its authors.
When President Wilson, acting for
the Committee of Fourteen, present
ed the proposed constitution of the
league to the Plenary Council in
Paris for it's consideration, almost
that many of the decisions we make
shall need subsequent alteration in
some degree When he landed the
other day in Boston, one of the
opening sentences of his address
was: Il have come home to report
mittees on foreign affairs of congress
at the White House dinner he was
quoted by one guest as saying that
he hoped the draft of the covenant
would become effective without rad
zeal changes" and by another that
he did not expect that the league
project would go through without
ment of it's vital features would be
| difficult.
When President Wilson had con-
Guided his Paris speech, Lord Rob
ert Cecil of Great Britain said it was
"a good omen that this document
fore being finally enacted, SO that
people everywhere could advise up
on and criticise it, Prime Minister
Lloyd George, after moving APP
peal for a remedy as against war.
said: 81 do not know that this will
succeed, but if we attempt it the at
tempt will be success"
Premier Orlando of Italy spoke Of
the birth of the right OF peoples as
having appropriately taken place in
(! France, which was "a happy omen
for beginning these Debates M.
Leon Bourgeois OF the French dele
cation, suggesting two amendments,
as something: final, but only as the
result of an honest effort, to be dis
cussed not only by this conference
but the public opinion Of the world. ;"
Baron Maxine Of Japan. indorsing
the plan, served notice that at the
proper time he intended to present
4 certain amendments which he hoped
would receive favorable considera-
ton. M. Lou Tseng Tsiang of China
!; expressed his Country's desire to
participate in future discussions, and
| M. Hymans OF Belgium proposed an
! amendment.
Here we have admissions from
| representatives Of all the great and
| two Of the lesser mowers that the
covenant is to be discussed and prob
ably amended Nobody claimed that
! it was either perfect or final. 1t was
held that in it's main features it
would, if adopted, save the world
! from such another catastrophe as it
has recently experienced; Yet sev-
whole proposition - with oratorical
bludgeons, and some newspapers,
like the New York Sum- which is now
dutifully lining up with Mr.. Taft and
(, Senator Knox in favor of possible
, amendment, applauded every one Of
Of blatant senator's who, unlike these
gentlemen, had nothing to offer but
vituperation.
We have had few more shameful
exhibitions of unthinking PARTISAN
ship and spleen in the United States
than the venomous uproar which
E5eeed this first e5iay
and calumny persist in many places,
but they are hiding now behind the
preteXt that their only aim is amend
ment. While some opponents of the
league would amend away the whore
covenant no doubt, most of its crit
to it's main principles and are noisily
demanding a right which never has
been denied them.
Have they had visions of the-ten
millions of new-made graves in Eu-
rope, of the devastated states and of
the regions where famine turks, or
have they heard from the people
who are grooming under the burdens
of debt and taxes?--New York
World