El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-13

senators who VOlclng oppO-
siton TO league of nations should be sure that
their scrupIes conscientious and not merely political N
the sense Principle IS always worth contendrg
for even If one loses But members Of congress who
are waging fight Of parsanshp, not because they
Ike the league idea less but because they dislike president
Wilson more should drop their fight now, for they are
doomed to defeat and the bitter their partsansh
the more singing win be their disappointment.
Is useless to fight the league idea. There VIII be
league Of nations inevitably and those who stand out
against 1t viii find themselves in somewhat the position
Of the members Of congress who voted keep out Of
and Americans off passenger ships which hap
peued freight box Of cartridges down in the
hold; not much disiked but yet the wrong side Of
the fence For that reason, If for other standing
the Washington spotlight and denouncng the league Of
nations plan should be their opposition one Of pn-
ciple.
The criticism Of senator's Lodge, Sherman and Knox
viii admit Of questions to their incerty. These
men are Of the statesman class neither the president
his ardent supporters apparently suspect their
motives not Of the highest In fact II is freely ad
tted that objections which these senators have raised
among those which Mr. Wilson, Col House and MI
White themselves placed before the league couferees at
Paris And it is further declared that since the constu
ton Of the league promulgated is only tentative the
American delegates VII be able TO cite the objection raised
IN America for insisting that the points at
sue be settled to accord with the American idea
But much Of the propaganda against the league IS
suing other than the senators Just named,
tainted with parsanshp with personal feeling,
that suises the league plan might have met with
different reception had it been championed by some leader
other than Mr. Wilson.
No matter whether one likes Mr. Wilson and his poll
tics not; the personal and political equations should not
be allowed to warp ones judgment Of matter big and
vital that It VIII influence the Of the world
Personal and political enemies Of Mr. Wilson should
call that he not the author Of the league Of nations idea
He has merely done what he could to transform idea
actually. Former president William +. Taft
president OF the League to Enforce Peace organization
formed IN the United States to give ssmbance Of
embodiment 10 the world league idea before mr. Wilson
espoused the and he and his fellow workers
ezpouHdng the doctrine Of union Of nations to ad
Just disputes and avert wars long before president VII
took up the cudgels But because M Wilson Is pres
dent and because he is bringing pressure Europe Join
such world league as M Taft suggested is hailed
its inventor well its champion. He is given all
the credit, hand and all the blame the Other
None the devoted Of enthusiasts daTes PIE
DICT confidently that league Of nations VIII bring about
the millennium There may be difficulties II its admins
tration and It may provoke many dssension, may
be an unqualified success It nay be only partly success
1u OF the world may ina that human passions, preu
diees and ambitions still dominate and influence wrongly
the Of justice But merely because It viii be
pertinent is for not trying It
the league obge the nations to arbitrate their
deraoes TO discuss them openly so the public
form proper judgments Of their respective merits; If
can thus prevent and limit others small areas;
II 1t prevent world conflicts such this last
been; II It keep nations from putting into effect
ooeaoes OF enLTe comments involving neutras as ven
as begereats; If It can do these things viii accomplish
about all that is hoped for II. i
It is beside the point to drag in Washngtou's warning
against entanghng foreign alliances. Washington had IN
mind the alliances that OF two or three nations had
been making throughout centuries past; the kind that
looked ultimately The United States was small
and weak Washington wanted to form no partnership
with foreign power which would obge Us to Join with
that nation IN TO settle any European political squsb
BE OF burn hands in Tang chestnut from the fire 10
crafty monaIch's ambitions for aggrandizemeut
The kind Of alliance about to enter is based
On an idea directly opposite to that of the old style Of al
nance Il IS TO avert and foster peace It is to be
the organized conscience OF the world
Washngtons advice to keep out Of trouble in Europe
We have already dsregarded We lived up to the letter Of
while behed the ruthless devastation Of BELGIUM and
atrocities N many another land and yet did not lift fin
ger TO stop them We broke the letter II when at last
NJ wnUan Hw~=a
We broke the letter Of Washngtons warning after bsv
ING Tor long time hardened to it. The spirit of II Is
another matter Americans who revere the high cour-
age and equally lofty principles Of George Washington