The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-09-04
FOOD ADMINISTRATION CHIEF.
Urges Ratification on Ground That
Peace Treaty Will Collapse
Without League of
Nations.

Europe to chaos "TO abandon the
League Covenant now means that the
treaty itself will collapse"
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 one Of the most important con-
tributlons to the recent League discus
sous.
"Therc are one or two points in con-
nectlon 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 half been advo-
eating democracy not only as a
remedy for the internal ills of all So
clety, 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 was the real
basis of government, was essential for
the advancement OF civilization, and
that we have proved its enormous hu-
man benefits in our country.
American Ideas Have Prevailed.
1--WE went into the war to destroy
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 autocracles in Ger
many, Russia, Turkey and Austria and
the little autOcracy in Greece. New
have sprung into being in
Poland, Finland, Letyia, Llthuania,
Esthonia, Czechosloyakia, Greater
Serbia, Greece, Siberia, and even Ger
many ana Austria have established
governments. Beyond
these a host of small republics, such
as Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and
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-
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
The world today, except
for a comparatively few reactionary
ana communistic autocracies, is dem
and we did it.
"a man who takes wife and
blesscs the world with several infants
cannot go away and leave them on
the claim that there was no legal mar
riage.
"These infant democraclcs all have
political, social and economic prob
lens involving their nelghbors that
are fraught with the most intense
friction. There are no natural bound
aries in Europe. Races are not com
pact; they blend ut every border. They
need railway communication and sea
outlets through their neighbors' terri
tory
"Aany Of these states must for the
next few years struggle almost for
bare bones to maintain their very
existence. Every one or them Is go
Ing to do its best; to protect It's own
even to the prejudice of it,
neighbOrs.
Governments Lack Experience.
1--WE in America should realize that
democracy, ms stable form of govern.
ment as we know It, is possible only
With highly educated populations and
n large force of men who aye capable
Of government Few Of the men who
compose these governments have had
amy actual experience at governing
and their populations are woefully IL
literate
"They will require generation OF
actual national life In peace to de-
velop free education aud skill in gov
crnmcnt.
Unless these countries have guild
ing hand and referee In their quarres,
n court of appeals for their wrongs,
this Europe win go back TO chaos.
II there is such an institution, rep
resenting the public opinion of the
world, and able to exert It's authority,
they viii grow into stability. We can
not turn back now.
"There is another point which also
needs emphasis. World treaties hlth-
orto have always been based on the
theory Of n balance of power. Strong
or races have been set up to dominate
the weaker, partly with u view to
stability and 20 n greater
degree with view to maintaining oc-
equations and positions for the re.
dictionaries of the world.
"1he balance OF power is born of
armies and navies. arlstocracles,
and reactionarles general,
~, who can find employment and
domination in these institutions, and
treaties founded on this basis have
established stability after each great
war for shorter or longer time, but
never more than a generation.
"Ameriea came forward with new
idea, and we insisted upon It's injec.
tlon into this peace conference. We
claimed that II was possible TO set
up such piece Of machinery with
such authority TINT The balance 81
power could be abandoned as relic
Of the midale ages. We compelled an
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