Gunnison news-champion., 1919-09-19
Purpese Of the LEAGUE.

Purpose Of the League.
The chief purpose Of the League Of
Nations Is TO keep the world in
state Of peace. Another way Of ex-
pressing II is to say that the league
Is designed to prevent wars.
We have just finished the greatest,
which Is to say the most horrible, of
all conflicts between nations. We
have won . glorious victory. But that
victory will be wasted unless this war
has made the nations ready 70
put aside their differences and Co
operate to end war forever.
II Il not enough, however. to pro-
vide for the prevention Of wars and
the settlement Of disputes sitter they
have arisen. We must foresee causes
Of trouble and remove them before
they have reached an acute stage.
Hence there must be provision for fire.
Quent consultations Of members Of the
league for exchange Of information,
for agreement ON commos policies and
for the gradual formation Of rules of
International law which ct present are
uncertain and incomplete.
The representatives Of TIA great
free nations which won the war have
met at Paris and. after long consulta.
tlon. have drawn an agreement which
they believe will accomplish these
ends. At the very least It win Get In
motion great changes which will re-
suit In universal benefit to all man.
kind. This agreement 10 called the
Covenant Of the League Of Nations
and II II part Of the peace treaty.
There will be no league worth talk
ing about, however. unless the United
States IL q member. The decision q
to whether the United States shall
Join rests with our Senate. The Sena.
tors, chosen by the people, will In the
end vote as the people desire. For
this reason the people themselves will
decide whether or not the United
States will Join. the league. In this
question every citizen should have Z
voice. He or she can express opinion
either By writing direct to Senator'S
By letters to the newspapers, By
speeches In his lodge or local union or
In conversation with friends.
Mstheds u Maintaining Psass.
Since the prime object Of the
League Of Nations u to preserve peace
and to reap the benefits Of peace
let % ZEE how the league will operats
10 accomplish that purpose.
In the first place It will seek to ~
move the main causes Of war. By the
formation Of IN International court it
will create . means for the peaceful
settlement Of disputes between ma
lions. Then II will seek to compel the
nations to make use Of this court
This 10 nothing more nor less than an
application Of the rules and customs
governing private Individuals In civil
lied communities to the relations be-
tween nations.
Secoadly. the League VIII seek TO 70.
move q great temptation to war BY
the general agreement to reduce the
size Of armies and navies. This will
halt the race for military and naval
supremacy which was largely respon.
sible for the war just ended. The
amount Of armament any nation may
maintain viii be strictly defined
Thus 1t will be impossible for one
country to overwhelm Its neighbor BY
unexpected attack, in the way that
Germany crushed Belgium and would
have crushed France had not the other
democratic nations gone to her aid. The
idea b that each country may keep
an army and navy large enough to en-
able It to fulfil its responsibilities a.
. member Of the League. but no larger.
The United States, for example. prob
ably would be expected to keep .
check on Nexlco and the state Of con
slant turmoil IN that country would b.
taken into confederation IN deciding
bow large IN army we should need
TAe third important safeguard
WAieh ~ League WIN IT up b . ~
~ oe penaltisA This wfll mako -
len11Gv q any nation - sroup Of NJ
uoas UAieh 49, to var h Violates
- ~ r1lss ~ ~ Leagus. 1he -