Connecticut western news., 1920-09-09

speak with a genuinely sympathetic heart, whether 1t is to mention de- vastated France, or sorely-tried Italy, or nobly-struggling Poland, or dis tracted and misguided Russia, or gal lanI little Belgium, or pitiably deceived Austria. or the ruthless invader, Ger many, which came to the supreme tragedy through a leadership which brought disaster to her misguided peo- pie.
 "1t was with that feeling of sym pathy and desire to serve, that most reluctantly and with grave misgivings. as 1 announced at the time, l with reservations designed to preserve our essential liberty of action. The rec ord is made, and under the same con- ditions, confronted by the same alter. native, l should vote now as l voted then.
 Conditions Have Changed.
 'But the conditions have changed. Experience has brought enlighten- ment We know now that the league constituted at Versailles is utterly im- potent as a preventive of wars. It Is so obviously impotent that 1t has not even been tried. The original league, mistakenly conceived and unreasOn- ably insisted upon, has undoubtedly passed beyond the possibility of res toration. The maturer judgment of the world will be that 1t deserved to pass for the very simple reason that, contrary to all of the tendencies devel. oped by the civilizing processes of the world 1t rested upon the power of might, not of right ,.s
 "The assertion Is made frequently that through the surrender of our na- tionality we might have saved the life of the covenant-that is to say, that. although twenty-eight nations could not make 1t function. one added to the twenty-eight would have achieved 3 glowing success, provided. always, that the one were America.
 "This pays to America the tribute of exceptional influence. but I suggest that If the world 's dependent upon our action to bring about the supreme real. ization, then we ought to have he say about our own freedom in participat- ing therein. But lot u~ consider what is meant by this reliance upon Ameri- ca. What can 1t signify If 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, he munitions and the men to ~ustair the entire or ganiZation. not as an agency of peace, but as an armed force?
 A Telling Admission.
 "A few days ago ] delegation of an organization which -alls itself a So- ciety for the Prevention of Var ap- pealed to the premier of Great Britain to unite and use the powers of the world tn defense of Poland. Armenia and the Dardanelles. The British pre- mier replied, according 10 his remarks quoted by the newspapers, to the ef- feet that, while the formation of an Tterua tiunai army would be an ideal solution,' it could not be accomplish ed because the European nations could not furnish the troops and the United States had withdrawn from "o-opera- tion'-s 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 So do that very thing--that is, to furnish the troops Could a clearer indication of what would have been expected of this country as a member If the league be desired? Hardly. Some, too. think, oi say they think, that this extraordinary service should be rendered. 1 do not agree with them, but, assuming that they are right I venture to note that nothing stands in the way of perform anGe. 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- ciated with, are still foreign to our own republic.
 "It is reasonably safe to assume, however, that Cha President will not pursue his course. Fortunately, he Is under no compelling moral obliga- tion' 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 a 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? Tn his own words, addressing meet ing of the Coalition Liberals on Au- gust 12 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 unjustffiable ad. venture Nothing but the most impern. tive call of national honor. national safety and national freedom can jus tify war. Before this country is com mitted to 1t, even in the most limited