New-York tribune., 1919-05-30
Ratifying With Reservations

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Strong feeling still marks the debate
over the covenant. This is natural But
disregarding such angry partisanship as
that of The Woyld which denounces its
opponents as copperheads and secession
lists, thoughtful men will concede that
both elements are about equally sincere
and equally able to give reasons for their
faith.
A shield has two sides; the light of
ruth shines through mediums of differ
ent colors. We stand before opposed
principles, both valid. Life is full of
similar paradoxes, and at particular
times difficult is it to say which deserves
emphasis. Now the collision is between
ideas as old as Western civilization; be-
tween the claims of parts and the claims
of d whole; between decentralization and
centrallzation; between nationalism and
internationalism between jefferson and
Hamilton.
History is packed with teaching that
tells of retrogression when thought of
one polarity excluded thought of the
other Natures voice, telling of the
warfare between type and variant, be-
tween differentiation and unifcation, is
to the same effect.
On one side is that spirit of autonomy,
manifest in all freedom loving peoples,
which justifes nationhood; on the other
the drift toward large aggregates of
+lDo, 1.
problems small powers are incompetent
to solve.
The defect of autonomy and localized
government is tendency to wranglings
and quarrels,. as among the freedom
loving city states of Greece. The defect
OF extended authority is that its imperi-
alism wars with normal human varia-
sion and sinks into a tyranny that de-
stroys human growth. So Babylonia,
Egypt, India, China, though each has
produced a remarkable civilization, has
killed progress in its cradle
But two worldwide secular domnions
have been successful-those of Rome and
Great Britain the one hourished only
N''Sii IL as tOitidlV Cl inverse cultures
and perlshed when it sought to make all
Roman. The other survives in vigor be-
cause it minimizes unity. Thus it is to
be inferred, if mixture of the two prin-
ciples Is to be compounded, that the sense
of nationality is to be regarded as
The more vivifying-as living, various,
perennlally progressive, the fertiIizing
fountain whose waters transform the
desert. 1t is significant that political de-
veopment has been rapid in proportion
as the sense Of nationality has strength
ened.
So any proposal looking to unfcation
must prove its case. The presumptions
are against it. 1t must be shown. first
that it practically contributes to the end
sought; and, second, that it does not de-
stroy or seriously weaken national SOW
ereignty.
Not by epithetcal attacks on those
who are firmly rooted in patriotism
and who are persuaded by knowledge of
history and nature that variation is a
pearl of great price, worth all it costs, is
league project to be put through. All
who uphold the covenant have need to
make sober arguments-should be at
pains to show that the particular en-
largement of the machinery of interna-
tional power which they favor will pro
mote the enc sought and carries no seri-
Gus mei.ace to nationalism.
The Tribune, looking at the scheme
under consideration, has inclined tc
oppose 1t on the double grounds that il
dld not sufficiently safeguard nationa
liberty and did not in a clear way lesser
the probability of war. The schem.
seemed tnree-quarters or nineteenth.
lraud, and reaction against fraud i.
natural Moreover, the attitude Of if,
proponents toward efforts to secure safe
Guards to national sovereignty excitet
suspicion. Finally the effort to brin
aoout an acceptance of the plan withou
debate, on the unsupervised sav-so of on
man, reused opposition.
But to condemn the league it is M
enough to find it ninc-tenths false nre
tence The other tenth might be o
value, and possibly adequate safeguard
10 our nationality could be set up. Tn
Tribune at all times has been ready t
support the league if it brought even
sjgnt gain for peace and did not destro
the national liberty of this country.
Judging the document with mature de
liberation, it is perhaps proper to testf,
at TINS time that a small gain for pcac
is discoverable. The provision for una
nimIty, Of course, depriveg the league O
any power in itself, but periodic meet
'ngs of an ambassadorial council are @