The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-21

Ii broke down Mr. Wilson's princi-
pies for which he fought earnestly,
were put into the league of nations
covenant and the European nations
solemnly accepted the covenant, but
having done this they proceeded to
frame their peace on the basis OF
facts, financial, economical and terri
torial.
They could not do otherwise, for
any other course meant ruin for their
countries and victory for Germany.
But once this was done there emerged
not peace Cancellation, but tneaty
which put Germany for fifteen years
literally in the hands of her conquer
ors, and compelled her to work under
their direction to repay the sums she
had cost them through her attacks.
But to do this meant to transform the
League Of Nations into an alliance
whose main business was to keep Ger
many in hand until the account was
settled, after an indefinite number OF
years.
This briefly is the story of the col
lapse in Europe of the League OF Ma
tions, as fact, Europe having in.
dorsed Mr.. Wilson's ideals, applied its
| own principles, it made a European
peace, the best and most just Euro
pean peace in history, l believe, but
something utterly removed from Mr..
Wilson's idea Of a peace Of concilia-
! ton and literally a peace only to be
| enforced by the continued application
| of actual force.
Disbelief In League.
{ Moreover, the nations, large and
small, whose aspirations, frequently
i lo- - AH
to accept the decisions Of the peace
| conference, and either resorted to
| arms or bided their time with the
intention of ultimately appealing to
arms. And in this situation the League
of Nations disappeared from calcula-
tions, from the serious discussions oil
Paris, save in American circles; where.
as to the returning American it seems
! to have continued to occupy American
attention almost to the exclusion OF
all else. In Paris talked with scores
and scores of representatives Of big
and little nations, but never one did
meet who actually believed in the
League Of Nations as the fact or the
/ possibility it still seems to many
Americans. What they all talked
about was the american
alliance, which as | said at the be
| ginning was the reality. British states
men from the beginning saw behind
the League of Nations idea and the
French statesmen presently perceived
Europe does not believe in the
League of Nations. 1t has accepted
the covenant because America, through
| Mr.. Wilson. asked for it. To Europe
| it is Americas share in the spoils O.
victory, just as the German colonies
fall to Britain and Alsace-Lorraine tt
France. We might have had territory
and money if we had asked for them
our right to claim both was never
challenged. Indeed, Europe is anxious
to have us take certain territories II
Asia Minor. But the thing am trying
to say is that Europe adopted the GOV
! enant of the League of Nations no
because it believed in the idea, bu
because it recognized that America
who had associated with the allies il
the victory, asked for such covenant
It proved its lack of faith in the ides
by proceeding thereafter to max
peace on European basis withou
i regard to the ideas of the League O
! Nations and thus completely elimin
4 ated the League of Nations as an &C
tual living fact.