The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-05-12

1 mas varied in almost every country. This is quite natural. for it is impos. sible that covenant which Is in- tended to embrace all nations should meet the peculiar needs and oircum- stances of each one. have no in- tentiOn of attempting to advise the public of problems which they are today discussing-that would be an impertinence upon my part; but I may say that have found on arrival here a very different atmosphere to that which I was led in Europe to ex. pect.
 l believed that a very strong body ot opinion in the United States, rep resenting probably the majority ot the people. was opposed to participa tion in the league of nations. now find, after visiting many of the prin- cipal cities In the East, after many talks with leading men of all parties, that there is a great volume of sen, ment in favor of league of nations; that criticism centers around certain paragraphs of the draft constitution of the league.
 There is, as there is in Great Brit ain and in France, objection to the idea of the league in toto. but 50 far though my experience has necessarily been limited, have not come across much of it. My immediate object is rather to explain the basis of such opposition as exists both in Great Britain and in France.
 Opponents in Minority
 The opponents of the league Ill Great Britain are in very distinct minority. They come in the n... from that class which IS constitution ally opposed to change and regards any novelty with suspicion. Their chief cry is that the league is deep design by President Wilson to shield Germany from the penalty of her crimes and rob Great Britain of the fruits of her victory.
 It Is dangerous only ill its appeal to popular passion at time when passion is easily aroused, and in its tendency ot delay by fostering anti American sentiment. the tightening of the bands which unite the British and American peoples.
 This one discordant note is now to be regretted because 1 am convinced that where our armies have been closely associated in the field, where our administrators and business men have been brot into closer touch by events arising out of the prosecution of the war, the result has been t. promote better understanding than has ever before existed in our history.
 The great bulk of the people iii Great Britain are. believe, in favor of a league of nations. not because they look to it to secure our position in the world. but because they see no alternative save a return to the old methods of diplomacy and armament, as to which they are completely dis illusioned For the first time in its history Great Britain has learned the meaning of war conducted by a na- tion in arms and is mortified by her experience.
 Most Families Pay Toll
 There Is hardly fanny tnruout the length and breadth of the land which has not paid its toll. Actually the death roll of the British Empire during the war equals approximately the total number of American sol. diers who have taken part in battle. In each case the figures, according to the best information l have been able to obtain, come to just under 100000 men.
 The United States had. of course. far more men than this in France when the armistice was signed, There were large bodies of American troops ready and waiting to engage and great numbers employed upon the administrative services of your armies, but l believe the figures have given represent roughly the number of men who actually took part in the fighting.
 Life is the supreme sacrifice which man can make. Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life." and 1t Is the price in blood which we have paid which has affect ed the sentiment of the British peo- pie far more than discomforts. dras. tic changes in social life and expendi.