The Penn's Grove record., 1919-12-19
League Fulfils Ameri-
can Ideal
Herbert Hoover Says Democracy
Replaced A~utOcracy At Our
Own Bidding

Herbert Hoover is SO deeply con-
cerned over the opposition to the
League Of Nations in the United
States that he has let himself be in
terviewed at length on the League sit
uation. In a talk with the New York
Times correspondent in Paris, the
Food Administration Chief asserts that
having caused the League idea to pre-
vail America cannot abandon 1t. We
cannot withdraw, he says, and leave
Europe to chaos. ITO abandon the
League Covenant now means that the
treaty itself will collapse"
Mr.. Hoover's wide acquaintance
with conditions both here and abroad,
his reputation as an administrator, a
man of great affairs who deals with
facts, not theories, make his state
ment M of the most important con-
tributions to the recent League discus
sions.
There are one or two points in con-
nection with the present treaty. said
Mr.. Hoover, that need careful consid-
Grafton by the American public. We
need to digest the fact that we have
for a century and a half been advo-
eating democracy not only as a
remedy for the internal ills of all So
ciety, but also as the only real safe
guard against war. We have believed
and proclaimed, in season and out,
that a world in which there was a
free expression and enforcement of
the will of the majority vas the real
basis of government, IA essential for
the advancement of civilization, and
that we have proved its enormous hu-
man benefits in our country.
American Ideas Have Prevailed.
"We went into the war to destroy
autocracy as a menace to our own and
all other democracies. If we had not
come into the war every inch of Euro
pean soil today would be under auto
cratic government. We have imposed
our will on the world. Out of this
victory has come the destruction Of
the four great autocracies in Ger
many, Russia, Turkey and Austria and
the little autocracy in Greece. New
democracies have sprung into being in
Poland, Finland, Letvia, Lithuania,
Esthonia, Czechoslovakia, Greater
Serbia, Greece, Siberia, and even Ger
many and Austria have established
democratic governments. Beyond
these q host of small republics, such
as Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and
others, have sprung up, and again as
a result of this great world movement
the constitutions Of Spain, Rumania,
and even England, have made a final
ascent to complete franchise and de-
mocracy, although they still maintain
a symbol Of royalty.
1--WE have been the living spring for
this last century and half from which
these ideas have sprung, and we have
triumphed. The world today, except
for a comparatively few reactionary
and communistic autocracies, is DEM
~ocratic, and we did it.
"a man who takes a wife and
blesses the world with several infants
cannot go away and leave them or
the claim that there was no legal mar
rage.
"These infant democracies all have
political, social and economic prob
lens involving their neighbors that
are fraught with the most intense
friction. There are no natural bound
aries in Europe. Races are not com
pact; they blend at every border. They
need railway communication and sea
outlets through their neighbors' terri.
tory.
"Many Of these states must for the
next few years struggle almost for
bare bones to maintain their very
existence. Every one of them Is 60
Ing to do its best to protect its own
interests, eve to the prejudice Of itA
neighbors.
Governments Lack Experiences.
sWs In America should realize that
democracy, as a stable form of govern
ment as we know it. is possible onl!
with highly educated populations ant
a large force of men who are capable
Of government. Few Of the men wht
compose these governments have hat
any actual experience at governing
and their populations are woefully IL
literate.
"They will require a generation Of
actual national life In peace to de
velop free education and skin in gov
eminent.
"Unless these countries have a guild
ing hand and referee in their quarrels
a court of appeals for their wrongs
this Europe will go back to chaos
If there is such an institution, rep
~resenting the public opinion of the
world, ard able to exert its authority
they will grow into stability. We can
not turn back now.
"There is another point which alsC
needs emphasis. World treaties hith
erto have always been based on the
theory of a balance of power. Strong
err races have been set up to dominate