The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-09-05
LEAGUE FULFILS
AMERICAN I1E al
Herbert Hoover Says Democra-
cies Replaced Autocracies
at Our Bidding.
FOOD ADMINISTRATION CHEF.
Urges Ratification on Ground That
Peace Treaty win Collapse
Without League Of
Nations.

Herbert Hoover Is 80 deeply con-
cerned over the opposition to the
League Of Nations In the United
States that he has let himself be In
teryiewed AT length on the League sit
uatl0n, IN a talk with tile New York
Times correspondent In Paris, the
Food Administration Chief asserts that
having caused the League idea 10 pre-
vail America cannot abandon IT, We
cannot Withdraw, he says, and leave
Europe 70 chaos, +To abandon the
League Covenant now means that the
treaty itself will collapse"
MIR, Hoeyer'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 one OF the most important CON
tributions 10 the recent League discus
slons
'''rhere are one or two points Ia con-
nection with The present treaty. said
AIR. Hoover. that need careful consid-
Grafton by the American public We
need 10 digest the fact that we have
Tor century and a half been advo.
eating democracy not only as IA
remedy for the internal ills OF all NO.
ciety, but also as the only real safe
guard against war We have believed
and proclaimed, In season and out
that World In which there was q
free expression aud enforcement OF
the will Of the majority was the real
basis of government, was essential FOL
the advancement of civilization, and
that we have proved its enormous hui
man benefits Ia our country.
American ideas Have Prevailed.
ave went into the war to destroy
autocracy as menace TO our own and
all other democracies. III We had not
come into the war every inch OF Euro
pean soil today would be under auto
cratic government We have imposed
our viii on the world. Out OF this
victory has come the destruction oi
the four great autocracies In Ger
many, Russia, Turkey and Austria and
the little autocracy In Greece. New
democraeies have sprung into being III
Poland, Finland, Letvla. Lithuania
Esthonia, Cxechosloyakia, Greater
Serbia, Greece, Siberia, and even Ger
many and Austria have established
democratic governments Beyond
these a host OF small republics. sucl
as Armenia. Georgia. Azerbaijan anC
others, have sprung up, and again Al
result Of this great world movement
the constitutions Of Spain, Rumnnia
aud even England, have made flna
ascent TO complete franchise and de
mocracy, although they sim maintaiI
symbol Of royalty.
we have been the living spring FOL
this last century and half from whicl
these ideas have sprung, and we hav,
trlumphed The world today, excep
for comparatively few reRctionar,
and colnmunistic autocracies. 10 dem
ocratle, and We did IL.
"A man who takes a wife ant
olesses tie world with several infanu
cannot 20 away and leave them OF
tie claim thar there WIS no legal mar
riage
These infant democraeies all hayl
1 poNucAlt Social blu eNulofnlc pfOu
lens Involving their Beighbors ths
are frRught with the most intens
friction. There are no natural bound
aries in Europe. Races are not CON
pact they blend al every border. The
need railway communication and Sc
outlets through their nelghbors' terri
tory.
Many Of these states must for III
next few years struggle almost e
bare bones TO maintain their yer
existence. Every one OF them is q,
ing 10 do frs best; TO protect it's ow
Interests, even 10 the prejudice OF il
neighbors.
Governments Lack Experiences.
eve ia America should realize Ih'