The Washington herald., 1919-04-27
DIPLOMACY PROVES
BIG SETBACK In
WORLD PEACE PACT
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
possible to the ratification of measures
upon which a general agreement was
assured. was arranged that the real
work Of the conference should he
done in committee and a whole series
OF international committees was es-
tablished to investigate the chief prob
lens. such as the league OF nations.
the responsibility for the war. the
reparation to be exacted from our
enemies and a variety of territorial
questions. These committees have all
been at work simultaneously and
while they have been at work the
Council of Ten has taken up such
questions as could not be referred to
committees or required consideration
before they. were so referred That
Is why the conference has been con-
siderinE European problems one day.
African the next. Asiatic questions
on the third and gone back to Europe
on the fourth Later when the COM
rlittees had begun to report and II
was possible to get on with the vital
question OF the settlement with Ger
many, the Council OF Ten in order
TO expedite progress split Itself in
two-the Council of Four. composed
OF the President OF the United States
and the Prime Ministers OF France,
Great Britain and Italy. taking over
the drafting OF the peace terms to
be imposed on our enemies. while the
Council OF Foreign Ministers went on
with the remaining business which
had been dealt with by the Council
or Ten. Japan is not represented in
tre Council of -Four because her
Prime Minister is not in Paris and
49," Is less directly interested IN tie
terms Of peace TO he imposed on Ger
many than are the remaining four
-roac powers. There has. therefore.
been some method in the madness of
oGr representatives. but they would
have saved themselves n great deal
Of trouble. II they had explained MOI y
fully what that method was.
The second mistake which the con-
ference made has brought even more
criticism upon it and was due to fail
ury To appreciate the psychological
effect Of their actions All the peoples
Of the allied and associated powers
are desperately anxious to get back
10 the ways of peace quickly and
have made up their minds that this
will not be possible until they know
how they stand with Germany. The
that it has delayed the settlement
with Germany in order to press for
ward the framing of the constitution
Of the league Of nations which public
opinion regards as matter requiring
CarPe.-:' and deliberate consideration.
] ar rot by any means certain that
attention TO the league of nations
has caused any real delay in the set
terIent with Germany. II certainly
had not done so up to the beginning
OF March when | left Paris
League and Peace.
The committees concerned with the
preliminaTies of peace had not re-
ported and until they had done so
IL was difficult to make progress with
the settlement, while the league of
nations committee was at work
simultaneously with the others and
had its report ready first But I'M
dOubtedly the way the conference did
its business. had. in default OF ex-
PLANTATION. the appearance of causing
the foundation of a league OF nations
TO delay the preliminaries of peace
and In the present state of the nerves
of Europe that appearance was un-
fortunate. l believe the conference
would have been better advised IL
resolutions. laying down the basic
principles OF the league. II had an
nOunced that henceforth its main
business would be the settlement
with Germany. And that the
draft constitution of the league
when ready would be submitted for
discussion and criticism. The Council
OF Ten could then have begun to pre-
pare the way for drafting the terms
10 be imposed on Germany. pending
the receipt of the reports from the
committees just as 1t prepared the way
for the solution of other problems.
The course actually adopted has had
the effect of Ndistracting attention
from those key resolutions by con-
centrating II upon the draft consti-
tuition and has. believe. made many
people think that the trainers of the
league OF nations expect more from
II than they do in fact The three
resolutions TO which 1 refer were
passed by the plenary conference IN
animously on January . and II is
] think worth while giving them in
fun. They were:
l. 1t is essential to the maintenance
Of the world settlement which the
associated nations are now to estab-
hsh, that a league of nations should
be established to promote internation-
al cooperation. to assure the fuIfil-
ment of International obligations and
TO provide safeguards against war
:. This league should be created as
an integral part of the general Treaty +,
Of Peace and should be open to eyery
civilized nation, which can be relied |
upon to promote its projects.
3. The members of the lea eua
should meet periodically, and should
have permanent organization and
secretarial to carry on the business
OF the league in the intervals between
the conferences.
League still Draft.
These resolutions have been passed.
while the draft constitution of the
league remains today a draft and has
not yet been finally approved. They
deserve careful examination for they
explain the spirit in which the draft
constitution has been framed. Most
people. IL they were asked what is
the bbject of the league of nations.
would say the prevention of war, and
there are not a few who would tell |
you that the abolition of war Is a |
vague and unrealizable ideal, Implying |
thereby that the league will not have |
any practical value in this world of