The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-09-02

toratlon. The maturer Judgment Of
the world will be that II deserved TO
pass for the very simple reason that,
contrary TO all of the tendencies devel-
oped by the civillzng processes OF the
world, II rested upon the power Of
might, not Of right
"The assertion is made frequently
that through the surrender Of our ma.
tionallty we might have saved the life
OF the covenant--that Is to say. that,
although twenty-elght nations could
not make It function, one added to the
twenty-elght would have achieved
glowing success. provided, always, that
the one were America.
"This pays to America the tribute
OF exceptional influence, but suggest
that If the world is dependent upon our
action to bring about the supreme real
lzatlon, then we ought to have the say
about our own freedom in particlpat-
ing therein. But let us consider what
is meant by this reliance upon Amerl-
ca. What can 1t signify II not that
1t is to the United States, and to the
United States alone, that the other
twenty-eight nations look for the bone
and sinew, the money, the munitions
and the men to sustain the entire or
ganlzation, not as an agency Of peace,
but as an armed force?
A Telling Admission.
"a few days ago a delegation Of an
organization which calls itself So.
| clety for the Prevention of War ap.
pealed to the premier Of Great Britain
to unite and use the powers Of the
world In defense Of Poland, Armenia
and the Dardanelles. The British pre-
mler replied, according to his remarks
| quoted by the newspapers, to the ef
feet that, while the formation of an
international army would be an Ideal
solution 1t could not be accomplish.
ed because the European nations could
not furnish the troops and the United
States had withdrawn from co-opera-
tlon'-a polite and diplomatic phrase
and more exactly meaning, of course,
that the senate Of the United States
had not completed the partial obliga-
ton assumed by the President to do
that very thlng-that is, to furnish the
troops Could a clearer indication Of
what would have been expected Of this
country as member of the league be
desired? Hardly. Some, too, think, or
say they think, that this extraordinary
service should be rendered. / do not
agree with them, but, assuming that
they are right. venture to note that
nothing stands in the way of perform
ance. The President has only to call
upon Congress to declare war, and to
confer upon him specific authority to
raise armies for the protection Of the
powers which, though recently asso-
clated with, are still foreign to our
own republic.
ut is reasonably safe to assume,
however, that the President will not
pursue this course. Fortunately he
Is under no compelling moral obliga-
ton under the league to do so. His
recent unhappy experience, moreover,
In asking Congress to send American
boys to police Armenia would hardly
encourage repetition Of request al
ready courteously but quite firmly de-
clined by the Congress. What then, In
like circumstances, would be the an
swer Of the British premier HIMSELF
In his own words, addressing a meet
ing of the Coalition Liberals on Au-
gust IL last according to the press
reports, he said:
"'When the terrible question Of
peace or war has to be decided, our
FIRST duty as a government is to the
people, who trust us not to commit
their treasure to any unjustiflable ad.
venture Nothing but the most impera.
tive call Of national honor, national
safety and national freedom can jus
tify war. Before this country is COM
United to 1t, even in the most limited
form, we must be satisfied that these
are in peril
~ quote these telling words, my
countrymen, with the utmost satisfac-
ton, because with one amendment
they express TO nicely my own posi-.
ton. I take for granted that the
prime minister meant to include In
treasure the greatest treasure of all.
but, for myself ! should leave moth
ing to be inferred. Foremost and above
all else to be safeguarded by those
Of us who hold the trust Of the peo-
Pile, 1t goes without saying, but cannot
be too often repeated, Is the manhood
OF the nation.