Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-05-03
The Worlds Next Step
M. q
What IL Our Duty in Connection With
the League Of Nations;
BY CLARENCE l.. SPEED

'''-ANAh 81 LEAGUE 10 Enforce lFHFs.I
what is my duty as an individual
In connection with the League of ma
uons?' you may ask. ''What have I
got to do with this big world question?
VIII any action on my part have any
influence on the forces that are now
settling the destinies of the worl1?"
Every citizen Of the United States
has duty 10 perform now, in connee-
tiOn with the league of nations. inst
as urgent as he had when we were at
war. You did not hesitate 10 do your
part then just because YOU were only
one of hundred million and on the
theory that any little saving or invest
Ing or working that you could do
would have little effect toward de-
feating Germany.
Every individual citizen Is represent
cd in Washington by a senator You
may not know him; may never have
seen him. Nevertheless he has some
respect for your OpiHiOns; he wishes
TO win your vote once more. If he did
not respect the opinions Of his CON
stituents he would be queer person,
i6r he Is sent to Washington 20 carry
0ut the wishes of the majority of the
voters.
NOW the United states senate iS the
LOGy which has the power to ratifv or
reject treaties. The British premier
mas promised TO submit the peace
treaty to parliament for its approval,
too; but he has just had an election
ana knows where parliament stands.
When the representatives of all or
most of the other nations sign the
treaty of peace, that is all that is nee
cSSary. II then becomes operative.
Eut America will not be at peace
with Germany nor viii 1t be "A mem
Der of the league of nations until the
senate has ratified the treaty. If the
senate should refuse to ratify it. we
would then he ia the position Of being
at war when all the remainder Of the
world was at peace, and Of being out
side of league of nations which en-
braced most Of the other important
Countries.
rs it possible" you may ask, That
the senate could fail TO ratify a treaty
and thus leave us out IN the cold? Are
we ready to stand alone in This fed
Grated world? Can we assume the
role Of China and build wall of eX-
clnsivoueSs around u.s.
Looked at IN that light 1t does not
seem possible; yet when one listens to
the speeches made daily in the senat
If does seem as though many senators
are. far from ready to vote for the
treaty which contains Il provision for
n league of nations. They may believe
that they are backed by the voters. II
is our duty as voters to let them know
whether they are carrying out our
wishes or not
IT, this series OF articles there has
been no attempt to present an argu
ucnt thar the constitution Of the
league of nations as it stands is a per-
feet document. There very likely Is
room for many Improvements II
there were not, it would be an eXccp-
~ Il. Et,
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through no fault or desire of our own.
Tbo 1ooauo NAV caI rnon tho I-nited
c,otos +o do ;ts mart T., rovcrrino sor,o