Belen news. (Belen, N.M.) 1912-1947, 1919-09-25


to accomplish that purpose
In the first place it will seek to re-
move the mainEcauses of war. BY the
formation of ap international court it
will create a means for the peaceful
settlement of disputes between ma
tions. Then it win seek to compel the
nations TO make use of this court.
This is nothing more nor less than an
application of the rules and customs
governing private individuals in civil
ized communities to the relations be-
tween nations
Secondly, the league will seek 10 re-
move great temptation to war by
the general agl'eement to reduce the
size of armies and navies. This will
halt the race far military and naval
supremacy which was largely respon-
sible for the war just ended. qThe
amount of Armament any nation tnay
II iintain will be strictly defined
Thus it will be impossible for some
country to overHhelm 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 is that each country may keep
an army and navS large enough to en-
able it to fulfil It's responsibilities as
a member Of the League, but no larger.
The United States, for example, prob
ably would be expected to keep a
check on Mexico tlnd the state of cons
stant turmoil in that country would be
taken into consideration in deciding
how large an army we should need
The third Important safeguard
which the League will set up is a sys-
TEN of penalties. This will make an
outlaw of any nation or group OF ma
tons which goes TO war in violation
of the rules of the League. The out
lawed nation will be boycotted by all
the other members.of the League and
will find itself cut off from both busi-
ness and social communication with
the rest of the world.
How It VIII Prevent Wars.
It is not claimed that the League of
Nations will do away with war alto
gether. Every possible provision that
human intelligence can devise will be
made to settle international disputes
peaceably. But should all these meas
ures fail and two Stations go to war,
this is what will Happen:
II both parties t.a the dispute have
observed the, rules IL the League stbe
other nations VIII stand back and let
them fight it out. War under such
circumstances is difficult to imagine,
however, because before the angry ma
tions will be allowed to fight in ac-
cordance with the rules of the League,
so much time must elapse that in all
probability their anger will cool and
they will reach an amicable under
standing.
What we have to fear Is that some
nation will go to war in defiance of
the League, and every precaution has
been taken to Suppress such nation
by the immediate use of the united
power 81 the other nations. If inter-
national boycott failed to bring her
to terms she would have to face a
combined international army and
navy. The founders of the League be-
lieve that the mere possibility of such
situation will prevent any nation
from violating its agreement. Does
anyone think that Germany would
have begun war five years ago if she
had known that nearly all the other
great powers would combine against
her?
Doing the Worlds Work.
In addition to settling international
disputes peaceably the League of
Nations will provide means for doing
much of the worlds work more sys-
tematically and effectively than can
be done now when each nation is
working only for itself. The people
you know best and like best are those
who work with you on the same job.
1t will be the same way with the
nations of the future. The more they
work together, the sooner they will
come to understand and like each
other.
For example, the League will estab-
lish an international organization for
the bettering of labor conditions in
different countries, for the protection
Of women and children and the native
inhabitants of civilized and semi-civil-
ized countries. One of Germany's
greatest crimes has been her barba-
rous treatment of the helpless people
in some of her colonies. One of the
chief tasks of the League will be to
look after peoples that are not strong
enough to protect themselves
The League will appoint commits
sions to take charge Of various inter
national undertakings SO that they
may be carried on, not for the benefit
of any one nation, but for the benefit
of the whole world. Provision will be
made for promotion Of fair and equa
/ trade conditions.
These are only few Of the benefits
the world will derive from the League
As time goes on we shall find more
and more tasks at which the nations
u q -