The Washington times., 1920-11-22
What Shall Take the Place of
the Deceased" Covenant?

lllC DCNC0SCu SOVSlIOutS
Harding said since the election that
'the Wilson covenant is deceased
That is the correct word 1t will be enacted in
form substance by the United States
This does not mean that agreement of nations
to promote peace of justice throughout the world is
needed.
The United States should lead in securing it.
A genuine league of Peace should have five chief
objects:
Disqualification of justiaable disputes. excluding
questions of domestic policy
Two-Making a war of aggression by any nation an
international crime
Three-Declaring any ruler who orders sanctions
such war of aggression international criminal answer
able to international and subject to life impson
ment.
Four-A new code of international law not subject
to change by arbitrary Orders in Council in time of
Fve-An agreement to submit all disputes that do not
affect purely domestic policies and not settled by di
pomacy referred to arbitration to inquiry and report
by international court whose sessions shall be public
One years time be allowed such investigation with full
publicity. No act Of declaration Of war, to bel
made by either party to such dispute until such report
has been made and not then until the issue has been
mitted to referendum of the people under universal
equal suffrage Of all men and women voters.
This is revolutionary but the world has wrought
revolution in popular thinking about the and ef
fects of war;
The world brought universal equal suffrage for
the first time to the people of five of the principal bel
igerents-the United States, Great Britain Germany
Austria and, nomnally, Russia.
constitutional amendment giving effect to such al
treaty would undoubtedly be approved by the people
the United States.
It would put end making by secret diplomacy
by arbitrary rulers The Kaiser could not be tried be-
there was prior agreement of nations making
his acts crime and world court having jurisdiction to-
try him.
In practice arbitration has been the greatest deterrent
to It is distinctly American principle. We have
done promote it than any other nation In the
past fifty years than four hundred disputes between
nations have been submitted to arbitration No question
referred to arbitration has failed of complete and
final settlement
The rule would silence forever the Socialists cry
that always made by imperasts and capitalists
It would lead to disarmament by assuring delay the
sober second thought.
if Mr. Harding guided by Mr. Root he will fare better
than Mr. Wilson did when he sent Mr. Root Russia and
acted on his advice.
Great Britain which rules one quarter of the
hababe globe and needs security would have strong mo-
tves for accepting this condition. also France which
has acquired colonies in this and terri
tory eight times large herself Germans and Russians
also for they have the best to hate autocracy
Japan the only remaining great Power ruled by autoc
racy, would object. She usually begins war without
waiting to declare it. She would have conform the
rule of democracy or stand apart from all other
civilized nations That her high national spirit and pride
would forbid
Finally theenew order would work change in
Americas habits.
We are always slow to make war. The causes of the
War of 1872 in 1908.
The of the Mexican War; and defense of the
Republic of Texas the dominating issue in the Pres
hut MT horip until