The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1919-07-10

far as to characterize 1t as a league
OF peace" and its opponents have been
denounced as preferring war, as try
ing to make political capital at the ex-
pense of the peace Of the world, and as
before the people with their plans to
support the league il they wanted
peace, the league advocates have won
many individuals to their cause who
have accepted the statements of the
agitators at their face value without
troubling themselves to see il they
were borne out by the facts. But take
the peace cry away from the league
advocates and there is nothing left on
which to base their claims for support
of the covenant.
The whole structure of the league
is conferred about the idea Of compul-
sion. Starting with a council of the
REPRESENTATIVES of nine states, really
dominated by three nations, or two, II
the United States stays out, 1t is pro-
posed to subjugate all the rest of the
world to its WILL The very essence of
the covenant Is force, to be exerted on
council, Is not COMFORTING itself accord
ing to the rules laid down In the coven-
ant and interpreted by the council.
The covenant bristles with limita-
lions and restrictions on independent
nationalism that will prove a constant
irritation to countries accustomed to
determine their own affairs free from
foreign interference. Almost every ar
ticle In the covenant, save those that
deal with administrative routine, has
In 1t the essentials for the creation of
friction likely to lead to war between
nations In fact some of them not only
tend to war but make war automatic
and compulsory.
Article 1, in defining the method OF
withdrawal OF nation from the
league, says that two years notice
must be given of the intention to with.
draw, and even then permission will
not be granted unless the council by
unanimous vote decides that that ma.
TONS league obligations have been
fulfilled. Under those conditions the
United States, once in, would be com.
PEELED to remain a member, by inter
national force of arms If necessary, II
japan or Greece or Spain chose to
make us do so. The resentment of red.
blooded Americans to coercion from
such sources would inevitably lead to
war.
Articles and 3 are purely admins.
trative.
Article states that each member OF
the league shall have one vote In the
assembly. Here again is fruitful
source for irritation. Liberia, Cuba, and
Panama owe their very existence to
the United States, which set them ur
as independent nations and has acted
as potential guanantor of their in
tegrity ever since. Here the creator il
controlled by its creations, which arr
given three times the voting strength
of the power that made them. Other
nations, that depend for the mainten
ance of their independence on the Am
erican Monroe Doctrine, are given al
equal voting power in the league as
sembly with the great people who pro
tect them. Haiti, Salvador, Nicaragua
Guatemala, and Honduras are cases
in point. is the United States likely t.
submit tamely when, perchance, those
little Central American republics raise
a question inimical to the welfare OF
our country, and proceed to outyote us
five TO one?
Article 3 stipulates that decision:
at any meeting of the assembly or OF
the council shall require the agreement
of all the members of the league rep
resented att the meeting Certain
exceptions of minor Importance are
made to that rule, but it holds IL
all questions of great moment The
from the application of this regulation
produce international tension that will
lead to war IL its strict enforcement |,
insisted upon by the league members
Germany is soon to be a member, anG
as such could actually veto any policy
that we might formulate toward Mexi
co. Inasmuch as the Germans were 81
active in fomenting an anti-AmericaI
attitude in Mexico during the war, i
Is not difficult to foresee her policy
when she is In the league. Our inter
ference IN Cuba TO save that ceuntr,
from Spanish oppression could ant
would have been prevented had III,
league been in operation in 1898. On,
nation registering its objection 10 on
Cuban policy would necessitate its can
collation.. and the horrors Of Spanish
rule In the island would have contin
ued. In shotr every state in the league
big or little, has the power within 1t
self to invalidate the actions of all tn,
others combined. The moment that ar
rogant authority, granted by the ieagu
covenant itself, Is sought to be exer
cised war will follow unless this grea
republic of the United States and tn,
people Of the world are to be directed
by lot of unstable nations, large o,
small, in problems which they do no
understand and are not capable o
solving
Article 6 provides for the appoint
ment of the first secretary general of
the league of nations and authorize,
him to appoint the secretaries and al
other members OF the league staff
That official has already been named
He is an englishman of note, and doubt
less very able and worthy gentleman
but an englishman, with all that tn,
word implies. IL there is one trait tina
distinguishes British citizen above
all others it is loyalty to king anC
country. Everything Is subordinated t,
service of the Empire. Every incident
IN English history is "A separate incen
tive to the Britisher to think of hi,
country first, last and all the time