The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-11-25
NATIONS BALK
AT new LEAGUE
u. S. Can Join the Present
League on Her Own
Terms, However.
FRANCE IS SKEPTICAL
(By H. N. Rickey)
IN, E. A. Staff Correspondent

Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 23-The
almost if not quite unanimous senti-
ment of the delegates to the League of
Nations assembly is that some way
must be found to bring the United
States into the league The willing
ness to accept the United States on
any terms that she may want to dictate
is almost as unanimous as the senti-
ment for admission.
This is not merely my impression of
the state of mind of the delegates but
is based upon a thorough investigation
and many conversations during week
with the leading men of the assembly.
If there is feeling in America that
the other nations want to get her into
the league, hoping that they will be
able to control her great industrial,
financial and potential war power to
their advantage, it is not justified by
the facts.
No Illusions.
Certainly, these leading men of more
than two-score nations, who compose
the assembly, have no illusions as to
the material power of the United
States as compared with any other
nation or group of nations.
But neither are they foolish enough
to have the delusion that, in or out of
the league, the United States is going
| to dump its wealth into an interna-
tional jackpot for world rehabilitation
or permit it's man-power to be COM
Wandered to settle European quarrels.
Every responsible statesman with
whom l have talked interprets the
American election as the final decision
by the people of America not to join
any world movement which puts any
| limitation on her own sovereignty or
which limits her own control of her
wealth and military power. This in
depreciation has been accepted, so far
as I can discover, without bitterness.
"This" League Only.
But while the sentiment favorable to
! admitting America to the league on
her own terms, providing they are at
all reasonable, cannot be over-estimat-
ed, it must be clearly understood in
America that "this" league, and not
some other league or association of
nations is meant.
There is no sentiment whatever for
breaking up this league and trying to
organize another league or association
at the behest of America. Even if
such program were within the realm
of practical craftsmanship, which it is
not, doubt whether there are half a
dozen nations represented at this as
sembly, who, under any circumstances,
would subject themselves to such a
| humiliating confession of their own
impotence and American world domin-
alton.
Even the smallest and most poverty
stricken nations have too much pride
and dignity to put themselves in this
abject position. AS for the great pow
ers, Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan, such a proposal to undo what
has been done would not be consid-
cred for minute.
Perhaps, of all the nations, big or
little, France is the most DESTROYS of
having America in the league. She
would go further than almost any Of
the nations, certainly further than any
of the great powers, to get America in.
But even France refuses to consider
the possibility of breaking up this
league and trying to form another as
ISOLATION.
Frances View.
The French viewpoint, as explained
to me by one of the leading officials Of
the French delegation, is as follows:
France accepted the league idea and
consented to the covenant being made
part of the treaty because America in
sisted upon it. The enforcement of
the treaty depends upon the function
ing of the league. France made many
sacrifices in the treaty because of the
guarantee in the covenant. For US to
| consent to the breaking up of the
league for an association in which the
treaty will not be included would be
fatal for France. That is the situa-
ton in it's practical aspect.
"Another important consideration is
that the league has shown a vitality
greatly beyond all our expectations.
France now believes in the league
heartily and sincerely. The serious
and disinterested way in which the