Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-11-17
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS DEAD

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS DEAD
A special cable from Paris to the New York
Times and the Great Falls Daily Tribune from
Edwin T. James their representative in Paris
says that the prevailing opinion among French
government officials is that owing to the reser-
vations attached to the ratification of the treaty
by the majority in the United States senate the
League of Nations is dead. 1t adds that 'The
French government has felt that the league was
being slowly choked to death in Washington and
now the addition of the Lodge league amend
ments bring official Paris to believe that
infanticide is accomplished" Our correspondent
add that To-day LIE Matin asks: is there any
treaty Of peace left?' 1t is known that in this
article LIE Matin reflects the view of the French
foreign office and indeed Of the whole French
government After saying that it appears
America has killed the league, lie Matin declares:
"This league can live only if more powerful
nations surrendering certain privileges their
power gives them accept the government Of the
world community. The treaty creates for all
those countries the obligations of not quitting
the league without notice Of two years This no
tice does not count for the senate of America.
IF there is no more society Of nations; if the
DLdlcS IldIlSS opCAe " eS eAS"1I
upon acceptance its reservations, which destroys
the operations of it, does there indeed remain
any treaty of peace?"
These are the views of official Paris. We are
not surprised They are very much our own.
The so-called reservations presented by Senator
Lodge and put over, by nearly solid republican
vote with some scattering democratic assistance
are in reality vital amendments to the treaty OF
peace which destroy it so far as the League OF
Nations is concerned. The general effect of
these reservations is that the United States de-
clines to accept any responsibility under the COW
enant of the League of Nations, and reserves
complete freedom of action to itself to do as it
pleases and seems to its interests as occasions
arise. It is almost precisely the action which i'm
perial Germany took in regard to the obligations
imposed by the peace conference called by the
Gar of Russia at the Hague and which rendered
that effort to secure the peace of the world OF
no weight or effect. Germany reserved the right
to do as it pleased, as its interests dictated in
event of war, and the Hague peace conference
proved farce in consequence.
We have yet to find how Great Britain will
regard the practical withdrawal of the United
States from the League of Nations. They are
more devoted to the principle of compulsory
arbitration of war disputes between nations than
the French government is. 1t may be that they
will seek to carry out the League of Nations idea
with the United States left out of the pact 1t is
going to be hard task to do that, but possibly
it may be done. The alternative is a flock of in
ternational agreements to support each other IN
their international ambitions and selfish inter-
ests. Such league involving Germany, Russia
and Japan is lately being openly discussed in the
Japanese newspapers as the logical course for
Japan to take in view of the hostile attitude Of
the United States toward them disclosed in the
speeches of republican senators with large poll
tical followings, such as Johnson, Borah and
Poindexter. Great Britain as the ally of Japan
would find itself in a very delicate situation in
the face Of such an arrangement.
In our hnmble opinion it does not make much
difference now whether the peace treaty is rati-
fled at Washington or not, the treaty itself is
repudiated so far as this country is concerned.
We think the more manly way would be to come
out in the open and reject the treaty instead of
doing the same thing by ndirection and under
pretense of reservations. Perhaps that will be
done yet by the democrats voting against the
ratification of the treaty emasculated and null
lifted by the republican amendments or reserva-
tions as they are called. Then we would at least
have clear decks and clean slate to commence
separate treaty of peace with Austria and Ger
many on our own account. Whatever the demo-
Gratis may conclude to do will be done quickly,
for the republican majority after six months of
delay and spouting hot air are now in a hurry