Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-08
BRITISH PEOPLE FAVOR
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Such Is Conclusion of Senator Robert
Owen After Spending Week
in Isle.
SOME WANT NEW TERRITORY
Declares President Is Offering an I'm
provoked Challenge to Great Brit
ain in Threatening to Build Equal
Navy.
BT ROBERT l.. OWEN.


United states senator From Oklahoma
Copyright. 1919 by Universal Servicc)
PARIS. January 1.-Aftcr two weeks
in England am very sure that the
body of opinion Of the English peo-
pie is altogether favorable to the idea
of providing international means
through the league of nations for ,b,
prevention Of, future wars and the cs-
ENLISTMENT ana maintenance of world
There are serious difficulties in the
way. wv
There are groups of people connected
with react lonarN clements who wish To
maintain the old principle of the bal
ahce OF power. wishing to leave the
smaller nations subject to cxploi,a-
They think in terms OF territory.
Sont and iron mines. commercial
aaries ana military and naval power
They do not sympathizc with the
,uen Of league of nations, and sug-
Ihcy point out difficulties: in short,
'hT Tho are is hin, how no, TO do il
Britain belonging to this group would.
now arouse antagouism among the
s sriitsh , E%SGPls against the United
III various forms. but they might be
i'rcSidemt Wilson is Offering an un
provoked challenge 10 Great Rritain
in threatening to build a navy equal
to or greater than the British
stpSSIl INCONSISTENT
IN URGING DISARMAMENT
lie is grossly, Inconsistent in urging
disarmament while authorizing a bro
gram of naval expansion.
lie does not represent American
fairs.
Through the. press they quote with
Euished men in the United states Sen
ate opposing President Wilson on
pnrtlsan grounds. having forgotten the
inn
cease at tidcwatcr.
rmcSe ingemiius arguments arc made
Yet 1t is vital that they should not be-
come lrcdjud!cial TO the league of ma
irons and Injurious to the conservation
OF futurc peace and the happiness of
mankind.
Gonversiing with some leading Eng
aisninen' ! explained that the cXpan-
sion OF the American navy is a naval
result of the war with the Teutonic
powers. OF the existence Of intcrnn-
national means for the safcguardirs
OF world pence. These conditions have
cicarIN compelled each nation TO arm
IN It's own defense. but the act author
l"ih% the expansion of the American
navy contains u provision stopping the
lection has been obtained by :ntcrua-
tonal agreement. | further explained
mat America, IN expanding her navy.
policy; that Americas naval expansion
- no more n threat TO Great Britain
tnoh tFcat BriainS expansion is "A
threat 10 America.
AMERICA AGREED no
DISARMAMENT PLAN
Moreover, explained that America
mad agreed with Great Britain on two
occasions at The Hague in uring dis
armament. and that ii Inconsistency
eeNisted between the two policies, this
inconsistency was as much british as
American, but that there was no In
consistency, i'll factt
! asked them 10 remember that naval
expansion was inevitable under the old
rule of individual nationaL force while
disarmament is the actual sequence of
inicrnaticn protection by a league OF
nations or OF - mutual understanding
limiting armamcnts.
In foreign affairs. when seeking TO
establish u league OF nations and "a
maintenance Of world peace BY a world
agreement, insisted that President
Wilson did represent the overwhelm-
ing desires of the American people
VINO want neither to Kill others nor 10
be Killed by others; that the American
people are just like tile British in de
string 10 develop their internal affairs
Snd enjoy domestic life peacefully in
prosperity and happiness, and that If
the leaders OF public opinion respond
10 the desires of the common people,
who must face death on the battle
field. they viii make effective this aSpi-
ration of human hearts everywhere
IL the leaders at the peace confer
cncc find difficulty in rcconcilng their
views OF these fundamental points and
with the views Of the people of the
Jniteh states. Great britain and other
nations il VIII be- because those leaders
are blinded by the vision OF many
years OF the past, when they unavoid-
ably thought in terms OF fortiiications
military and naval power and of force,
rather than reliance upon the trcmen-
dous spiritual forces which move mems
hearts.