The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-18
WITH THE EDITORS
THE GREAf WORLD QUESTION

T. THE GREAT WORLD QUESTION
As an educational agency the Northern Con
gress for League of Nations to Enforce Peac
has proved gratifying success. Everywhere
has evoked discussions Of the uppermost worlt
question of the day. Whether it will have an,
direct influence on the deliberations at Paris may
be doubted, but is benefits to the people of tn
Northwest in the xax ofsnlightenment and stimu
lation Of public debate are beyond question.
The dominating figure naturally has beer
Former President William H. Taft, the largest
lumnary in the all-star troupe that is shining or
series of such congresses the country over. Mr.
Tafts logical mind. his judicial temperament, his
analytical power, his invincible good humor, to-
of Nations problem, give him an unsurpassed
equipment for the fine work he is now doing.
:.s, Mr.. Taft does not stand out for any set form
OF league, except that it must be one with bite
to it, one capable of enforcing its decisions. The
burden of his1Minneapolis arguments has been
that nothing shan this snlssuffice to main
tain the NV states xstsdp III Nope, and make
secure the fruits Of the sictory That has been won
There is already in existence league with a
bite to it." 1t is composed of the five great powers
whose representatives are now counseling together
in Paris. 1t is the league that brought Germany
to her knees and endedA4rever her dream of world
domination. Any lea9H now formed must Of pec-
essity be the outgrowtk of that one the resuY Of
a process of evolution from that one.
The league we already have has the power to
do all the things that Mr.: Taft so truly says must
be DONE 1t can and will delimit the territories of
the states of Europe. It will settle their dis
putes among themselves, or with any of its own
or with what is left Of the vanquished
enemy. 1t can set up the tribunal to decide future
1t can intervene hereafter to re-
store order and law whenever necessary, just as
the United States has interviewed, as Mr. Taft so
appositely points out, in Cuba. It can penalize
Germany for her crimes, discipline her for her
moral delinquency, force her to bring forth works
meet for repentance-and finally, when her re-
warrants The step, admit her to men,
bership. , ~
The fact is that the League of Nations is no
new idea, no new accomplishment. There are
many examples in history of such leagues, either
set up or sought to be set up, though none with
such high ideals as those now proposed But for
at least several hundred years the thoughts and
that direction.
Let US not, therefore, expect too much from
the new league, nor expect it too soon. Let us
not delude ourselves with the notion that, to abol
ish war forever, we have only to agree on the
oretically perfect constitution for the new league,
and set it to functioning. Whatever Society of
Nations is now formed, it is more likely than not
that some member of it in the not distant future
will defy its orders and provoke war. But the
hope is that there will be an instrumentahty
through which the opinion of the world, the voice
Of civilization, may issue its DEGREES, and mayhap
enforce them.
Mankind makes its onward and upward steps
slowly and haltingly. It does not leap forward
suddenly and retain all the progress thus made.
There are many backslidings, many standings,
much blood and sweat to pour out.
A League of Nations that will Danish war from
The face of the earth, that will cast down tyranny
and set justice firmly in the seat of judgment,
that will bring all the peoples Of the earth to live
together in peace and harmony and good will
tbs lofty ideal not possible of immediate achieve
ment. We can only work toward it with the inn
perfect instrumentalities we have Ideals that
reach up toward heaven, must, If humanity is to
profit by them, have their roots in the practical
earth. Minneapolis Journal.