New-York tribune., 1920-06-29


competitive character, composed of the !
nations that repudiated the existing
league. The devitalizing character Of
such an eXpedient requires no COM
ment. Fatuous futility could be car
ried no further. There is no mental
dishonesty more transparent than that
which expresses fealty to league OF
nations while opposing the only League
of Nations that exists OR is ever apt
world conditions? < League Of Ma
tons already exists. 1t is not a
project; it is fact. We must either
enter it or remain out of it.
Status of the League
"What nations have actually signed
and ratified the treaty?
Brazil, Bolivia, Great Britain, Cam
ada, Australia, South Africa, New
Zealand, India, Czecho-Slovakia, Guate-
mala, Liberia, Panama. Peru, Uruguay,
Siam, Greece, Poland, Japan, Italy.
France and Belgium.
'What neutral states invited to join
the league, have actually done so?
NORWAY, Venezuela, the Neither
lands, Denmark, Colombia, Chile,
Argentina, Paraguay Persia, Salvador,
Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
Even China will become member
when she ratifes the Austrian treaty.
Germany has signed and is pre-
pairing to take the place which awaits
her in the League of Nations.
What nations stand outside? Revo-
lutionary Mexico, Bolshevist Russia,
Unspeakable Turkey and-the United
States of America.
at is not yet too late Let US stand
with the forces Of civilization. The
choice is plain 1t is between the
Democratic partys support of the
League of Nations, with it's program of
peace disarmament and world fratern
itv, and the Republican nartv's plat
form of reputation, provincialism,
miltarism and v.orld chaos.
"There is great pretense Of alarm
because the United States has but one
against the six votes of Great Britain,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa and India. This popular argu-
ment against the League of Nations is
as nsincere as it is superficial. 1t ig-
nores the fact that the Executive Coun-
Gil, and not the Assembly, is the govern
ing body of the league and that our
country is one of the five countries
having permanent membership in the
council. The colonial votes exist only
in the Assembly.
has but one vote; Italy has but one
vote; and Japan has but one vote. If
there were any injustice in the ar
rangement, surely these nations would
have sensed it and objected to it. No
aftirmati tive action can be taken in any
essential matter without unanim Gus
vote of all members Of the Council Of
| the League. No decision Of the league,
if America Joined it, could be made
a 7 ~.
our consent. Like every other nation,
we have veto power upon every reso-
| lution or act OF the league. We can
be involved in no enterprise except Of
our own choosing; and if we are not
satisfied with the league. we can sever
our connection with it upon two years'
notice. The risk exists only in the
Imagination; the service is incalcu-
liable.
Small Nations Have Vote
"Moreover, the United States insist
ed that Cuba, Hayti, Liberia, Panama,
/ Nicaragua Honduras and Guatemala
should each be given vote, as we'll as
the nations Of South America, great
and small. Including the nations
which are bound by vital interests to
the United States, or, indeed, directly
under our tutelage, we have more votes
!
other nation. How could we. in good
faith, urge that these nations be given
q voice and deny voice to such self
governing nations as Canada, New
Zealand and the rest, which, relatively
speaking. made far more sacrifices in
the war than our own country? 1t is
desirable that all countries should
have an opportunity to be heard in the
league; and the safety of each nation
resides in the fact that no action can
be taken without the consent of all.
1T was the design of Senator Lodge,
from the outset, to mutilatc the treaty
and to frustrate the purposes of the
Administration. And yet Senator
Lodge, with the help of the irrecon-
cilables, having torn the treaty to tat
ters and thrown It's fragments in the
face of the world, has the effronterv to
suggest. in mis- address at Chicago, that
the President blocked ratification and
postponed peace.
The trouble with the treaty OF
peace is that it was negotiated by =
Democratic President. It is not diff
cult to assess the responsibility for its
defeat. The responsibility rests, not
upon it's friends, but upon its enemies
"The Foreign Relations Committee
Immediately following the last election
was reorganized with a personnel con-
sisting of the open foes of the treaty
Among the number was Senator Borah
who declared that he would not be fol
League of Nations were the Savior
Of mankind to advocate it. Senator
Johnson, Senator Knox and Senator
Moses, whose hatred of the President
amounts to an obsession, were also
- members; and Senator Lodge was chair
man.
THE treaty was referred to the com
mittee, thus studiouslv prepared fol-
its hostile reception. The members O
: this committee adopted every subter
fuge to misrenresent the documen
, which they were supposed to be con
sidering as statesmen. Dcputations o
fore born citizens were BROUGHT |,
" Washington in an effort to color ant
, eXaggerate the impression Of popula.
, opposition.
; The Senate had even begun the dis
-, cussion of the treaty months before it
. negotiation was concluded, and did no
terminate its debate until nine month
:. after She submission OF the treaty. 7
took the Senate nearly three times a
long to kill the treaty by protracted de
8 hate and by confusing and nullifyin
amendments and reservations as i
took the representatives. OF the Allie
governments to draft it.
e Wilson'S Stand on Treaty
"It was not the business of the Presi
) dent when he brought this treaty bac