New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-20
Bite" or No "Bite"

ing DUO Many persons, including
Clemenceau' and Leon Bourgeois, the
worlds greatest authority on peace
leagues, criticise it for lack of "bite."
The natural conclusion from this diff
ference among the experts is that doubt
exists But men disclose beliefs by acts
even more than by words. What says the
conduct of the various nations and lead
ing personages? In this field there is
substantial unanmity. The behavior of
all cannot be read otherwise than as
implying lack of faith in the "bite" of
the league plan; that is to say, no nation
is willing to rely on the proposed league
sufficiently to exclude or seriously to
weaken individual national defence.
France has made it clear the league
holds out to her no promise warranting
an abandonment of a watch on the
Rhine. Great Britain says she trusts
the steel walls of her ships rather than
paper safeguards. Italy insists on naval
stations on the Adriatic shore as essen
tial to her safety. Even belgium, which
has had long taste of barren interna-
tlonal guarantees, proposes to have an
enlarged army and to rebuild the forts
of Liege. Germany screams with anger
because of the rehabilitation imposed on
her, and Russians of all factions show
no disposition to throw down their arms
and go to The Hague All the disturbed
regions of Southeastern Europe display
q similar lack of faith in the peace plan
as substitute for national defence.
And America, as evidenced in acts,
clearly shows skepticism, no matter what
conspicuous persons may say. The
President uses his influence to jam a
$700,000,000 naval bill through Congress-
Coast forts are to be strengthened No
one suggests a dismantling of the forti-
fications of the Panama Canal. Work at
the ordnance plants goes forward and
guns surprising the biggest of Germany
are currently manufactured. The Adj
ministration's acts thus say the teeth of
the league are too short and dull to
justify reliance on it as peace
guardian.
And what says the text of the peace
plan? Article X, in terms, guarantees
the territorial integrity and existing
political independence of all nations par
ties to the pact. Read alone this would
seem enough to allay doubts. I'm
fortunately it cannot be read alone, but
must be construed in connection with the
articles which pretend to provide way
to make the guarantees effective. Under
customary rules of legal construction,
when a statute deals in q general way
and then in a specific way with a par
ticular subject the specific provision IS
a limitation of the general provision.
The guarantees are plainly NO stronger
than the sanctions behind them. And
what are the sanctions of the peace plan?
Merely moral force plus cloudy and ILL
defined scheme of economic boycott Even
as to the boycott it would seem that the
league council possesses little independent
or original power. All vital things
must be referred back to home govern
ments, whose representatives on the CEN
trail council will be in effect ambassa-
doris, subject to instruction.
Careful reading of the plan thus does
not enlarge faith in it's biting power
The peace" will rest on no firmer foun-
dation than is afforded by community
of policy among the dominant five DOW
ers. If there is to be an alliance. if
we are to have continuance of the
entente cordinle with the United States.
italy and Japan added, why not say so?
An alliance and it's responsibilities are
something the world understands.
Whatever may be said by those who are
confused or by the insincere who trife
with great matter in efforts to fitch
credit for persons and political parties,
the bite" of the plan is no sharp
incision pushed home by strong Jaw.
At most the plan, so far as a permanent
per cent affair yet there is no such thing
as Is or so per cent peace. The al
ternatives are between a superstate or
ganlzation able to enforce peace or an
association of independent nations. nos
sessing the major power of the world,
joined together by time-tried methods in
an understandable coalition. Sound argu-
ments, suspiciously ignored by those who
befog themselves in words, may be
counted on to make their due way de-
spite the clamors of those Interested in
setting up Morgan good enough to last
until Election Day.
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