South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-28

I because X GlQn represent the views
\ OF any particular state. but It was
\ ratified and IL went into effect, and
\ IL has proved the greatest govern
mental structure OF the world. al
I though we began 10 amend IL almost
as soon as we adopted it-and we
\ are still amending il. And so this
/ great document, this great PROPOSE
I ton, is before the world and repre-
I sents a compromise OF the leading
( nations OF the world that are willing
I 10 unite for the purpose Of putting
I an end TO war.
A Covenant, Not "A Government.
This proposed league is not what
Y it was predicted it would be-a SUI
\ per-nation 1t is not even a nation.
\ II has no sovereign powers. II Is
I not even a government 1t Is a
great covenant or treaty between
I the nations Of the world and its
chief and most important feature
consists of agreements that they
make with each other as TO what
they will do and what they will not
I do as sovereign powers in the world.
It's most important features con-
sist Of the promises which the ma
tions make when they enter into it.
Let me review some OF those prom
ises:
Each member promises that if
dispute arises between II and another
member it will not go 10 war with
the other member but will either
submit the dispute 10 arbitration or
10 an inquiry by the executive coun-
Gil Now. both of these methods are
acknowledged and accepted meth
DDS of adjusting difficulties Many
nations dislike to arbitrate. There
are some questions which all ma
tons refuse to arbitrate. If they can
agree upon arbitration through the
machinery that they agree upon or
through the leagues machinery, the
: question will be arbitrated and they
agree that while it is being arbi-
trated for six months, they will have
no war. and they agree that no war
shall be fought until three months
after the arbitration has been con-
cluded, and they agree 10 abide by
the result Of the arbitration.
But if the question is not consid-
cred by them or by one OF them as
an arbitrable question, then they
agree that they will submit it TO an
inquiry by the executive council
which I shall discuss late.
This inquiry occupies six months
and all parties agree that during
that time there shall be no war.
They aiso agree that for three
months after the conclusion of the
inquiry there shall be no war.
!, The Value of Delays.
!. We therefore have by these two
devices, of the arbitration and the
inquiry. an absolute guaranty that
the nation forming this great COM
pact that for nine months. a.ter
diplomacy has failed. there shall be
no war, and go per cent of the wars
Of the world could have been pre-
vented if any such period OF cooling
off purposes had been provided.
Why, the last great war from which
we are just emerging undoubtedly
would have been prevented if Ger
, many could have been restrained
for three days from plunging the
, world into war, and the rulers of the
the world and the diplomats of
]
, to secure a delay of a few hours
knowing that the delay might save
, the day.
Now. a delay of nine months is
, almost certain TO prevent war. be-
cause it affords an opportunity for
} the peace sentiment of the countries
5 to develop 1t affords an opportunity
J, for peaceful settlement. even if the
dispute is not settled. and it will pre-
vent war nine times out of ten.
So there we have the very prac-
> teal device of arbitration and of in
i quiry. and even if both of them shall
, fail then the cooling off period.
which will save 80 per cent of the
wars of the world.
These nations also agree that they
, will, when the arbitration occurs.
submit TO it, and. so far as l know.
! nations which in the past have
agreed to arbitration have bowed TO
the decision of arbitrators.
, IN the case of the inquiry the
agreement is that if the executive
r council decides u unanimously and
, makes recommendation unani-
D. mously for the settlement OF the dis
J pute, the nation losing it will not go
, 10 war with any nation accepting it.
That is the agreement which the
nations all make. and that agree
ment for arbitration and for inquiry
and for the nine months delay con-
stitute a device which, in my opin-
, ion. will prevent practically all Of
the wars OF the world, although
there are other devices in this docu-
! ment.
An Act of War.
/ Now. suppose a nation violates
~ that agreement. l don't believe any
nation in this league or any nation
{ anywhere else in the world there
after is going 10 treat an agreement
s as a scrap OF paper" I believe
that the age OF scraps OF paper has
z passed and passed forever, and that
hereafter solemn agreements are
going 10 be enforced by the public
t opinion OF the world But suppose
a member does violate the agree
ment, suppose it goes TO war against
, another member OF the league with
in the nine months, what happens?
; That act is treated as an act Of
: war against every member OF the