Omaha daily bee., 1919-01-25
A Logical Growth
Fredsrie R. coudert N New York Times.

ana out OF congress, assume tnat the league q
nations idea is rather counsel OF perfection or
a millenial hope than the elimination OF a
process that has been going on in international
relations for a century, Such people look upon
themselves as "realists' and believe that the
presidents plan, while we'll intended, is unwork-
able and valuable only as an unobtainable ideal
about which to discourse.
1t is interesting to find that two OF the lead
ing figures of the 18th century, one pre-emlnent
for half century in the world of French !itera-
ture and learning, the other one OF Engand's
master statesmen during more than genera
ton, were in accord with the view that the only
solution is to be found in confederative action
among the civilized nations. In 1870, during
the Franco-Prussian war, Ernest Renan. whose
political writings were of very high order OF
ability and in some instances reflected prophetic
vision as the events of the last SO years have
shown, said:
"The principle OF Independent nationalities
is not one calculated, as many think, to deliver
the human race from the scourge of war; on
the contrary | have always feared that the
principle of the right of nationalites, substitu-
ted for the gentle and paternal symbol of
legitimacy, would cause the conflict of nations
to degenerate into an determination of races and
drive out of international law those eonven-
tional notifications and civilities which were
permitted by the little political and dynastic
wars of former years. We shall see the end Of
war only when to the principle of nationality is
added that principle which is its corrective
that of European federation superior to all
nationalities; when problems OF democracy, the
counterpart of the questions OF mere politics
and diplomacy, will resume their importance"
And again in the same article, he said:
ION the whole, the immense majority of
the human race has a horror of war; ideas Of
Kindness of justice, of goodness will more and
more conquer the world. The bellicose spirit
no longer lives, except among professional sol
diers in. the nobility of northern Germany and
n
not understand war. The progress of democracy
will be the end of the reign of those men of iron
-survivals from another age which our century
has witnessed with terror coming out of the
bowels of the old Germanic world. Whatever
may be the issue of this war that party will be
vanquished in Germany; democracy has num-
bered its days. / have certain apprehensions
regarding some tendencies of democracy, as
have always said with sincerity, but surely if
democracy can limit itself to Kidding the human
race of those who for the satisfaction of their
vanties and their hates cause the massacre of
millions of men, 1t will have my full approval
and sympathetic gratitude. September Is, 1870
The Concert of Europe" has often seemed
little more than a phrase, and yet the history
of Europe since 1915 has indicated an ever
growing tendency toward cooperation among
the larger nations in the common interest. The
shock which was sustained in August. 1914
when Germany threw down the gauntlet TO civ
ilization and international morality must not be
allowed to obscure the fact that practical states
men in Europe believed in the possibility of an
ever-growing international cooperation of the
powers" which was tending to create Euro
pean legislature. The late Lord Salisbury was
surely no visionary, but hard-headed states
man with little sympathy for impracticable
schemes not consistent with human nature, or
squaring with the facts of history Yet in
speaking on the Cretan question in March, 1897,
he said:
Il do not take the integrity Of the Ottoman
empire for a permanent dogma. 1t was estab-
lished by the legislature of Europe; it has been
modified by them; no doubt it will be modified
again-what is to be done will be done by the
consent of all the powers by which the integ-
rlty of Turkey was made part Of European law
Much was said, not, think, BY the noble lord
Lord Kimberly, but by those who stood the
him in condemnation of the powers of Europe
on this occasion. At least it NAV be said for
them that they are representing a continuity of
policy and that they are maintaining the law of
Europe as it has been laid down by the only
authority competent to create law for Europe
They have been dehed by state which owes its
very existence to the Concert of Europe" If
it had not been for the concert of Europe the
Hellenic kingdom would never have been heard
of. feel it is our duty to sustain the federated
action of Europe / think it has suffered by the
somewhat absurd name which has been given to
it 1.-THE concert of Europe"l, and the intense inn
pOlIdHCG Oh the IdCL mas Deem DuflEQ 5uuQGT the
bad jokes to which the word has given rise, but
the federated action of Europe, if we can main
tain this legislature, is our sole hope of escap-
ing from the constant terror and the calamity
of war, the constant pressure of the burden of
an armed peace, which weigh down the spirits
and darken the prospects Of any nation in this
part of the world-engagements into which it
enters must be respected-they must not be
thrown over at the mere will of an outside
power"
The president was wise not to commit him
self to- any detailed plan of an association of ma
tons. The details must be the subject of con-
slant modification as events demonstrate what
can and should be done; yet some real attempt
at federated action, in which the lead shall be
taken by the great powers that waged war
against Prussianism and in which participation
shall be refused to no nation whose institutions
are not incompatible with liberty and justice is
absolutely vital. In insisting upon Immediately
realizing this the president is working along
the only feasible and practical lines possible.
He is carrying out to its elimination a move
ment which has long been growing in Europe
and which, notwithstanding infinite difficulties,
attained a certain measure of SUCCESS through
out the whole course of the 10Th CEN
tpry. IL is not a mere hope derived from the
hcubratons of speculative writers or moral
lists, but the application Of principle which
has been applied in practice during the past
with results of Importance, which has the sane
ton of leading statesmen and without which
there can be no guaranty Of any lasting peace
or any sound development of international law.