Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-07
What Will Happen If u. S.
Doesn't Ratify the Treaty?
Everything, Say friends of the League of Nations; Nothing
Particular Of Importance Say Enemies Of the Coven-
an to Preserve Peace of the World.
Correspondence Brooklyn Eagle

bc stronger If 1t remains outside. The
believe firmly IN its traditional poltica
ISOLATION; they warn against entanglin,
alliances as earnestly as did Georg
Washington. They cry aloud in behal
of the Monroe Doctrine. And in con
nection with the Monroe Doctrine, tn,
! point Is made by such man as Senator
Borah that no reservation which can
possibly be drawn will protect t, one,
the United States enters into woIld
league; that inevitsbly. when this country
f, agrees to take hand in the affairs of the
| Old World, il must concede the right ol
the Old World to taxi hand in the affairs
! of the New. The Leagues enemies
! assert that the political strength of the
/ United States in world affairs has been
/ founded on its aloofncss, and that it will
/ only be weakened by ents ring into COM
/ blnations.
| Certain political disadvantages, how
ever will undoubtedly exist, although
the Leagues opponents believe they
will be more than offset by the old adj
vantages of holding aloof. Ii will be n
disadvantage 10 the United States To
stay outside the League when the rest
of the world is using the League to handle
political affairs, such. for instance, as a
determination of boundaries and uues-
tions OF sovereignty; also such questions
as whether the League shall undertake to
intervene IN a quarrel. To what extent the
nIted States might make effective pro-
test against action by the League. itself
being nOn-member, disturbs good
many statesmen in Washington. Also,
they see possible political combinations
against the United States But the ppo-
nents OF the League idea contend that
nah Il arl,~ra, 4.
chanical, that they can be overcome, and
that they easily will be outweighed by the
advantages of adhering TO the position
which the United States has maintained
for more than a century
POSSIBLE ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES.
The possible economic disadvantages
IN staying outside the League give more
concern. They are chiefly discussed in
connection with foreign trade The arg1i-
ment is made that foreign countries will
find il easier to get into combinations
against the United States: that they will
he IN position more easily To dscrin-
mate. that the family Of the League nat
uraIly will prefer TO do business among its
members, rather than with an outsider.
All nations have resumed trade with Ger
many, whether they have ratified the
treaty or not, and all are resuming trade
with Gcrmanvs former allies Az the
present time the foreign trade balance
Is IN favor of the United States. |
] hat cannot last. Of course: il would be /
disastrous if il should last. There are
signs that il already is beginning to /
correct itself
Friends of the League fear that the I
other nations Of the word viii take ad- .
rantagc OF non-membership bv the /
nitcd states 10 tighten up their trade
relations with each other and leave this
country ont; that they will spread
boycott against American business abroad.
ne objection Is answered by the Leagues
opponents by the claim that so long as
ne nIted states can make goods and
market them against the
of the world il viii have its
ust share OF the trade. and that IL il cannot
10 that, no League in the world would
leip IT They contend that the world
inevitably will buy and sell on the old
asIs, League or no League. and that the
nIted States will have 10 stand on its
wn bottom a a trader. as IL has alwavE
onc
PART OF L. =. IN PREPARATIONS.
There will probably he disadvantages
] matters that relate directly 10 the war.
he ReparatIons Commission set tp under
ne reaty conteInplates participation ;
y the nIted States as member, but if !
ne Treaty Is not ratified this country j
ecesSarlly must stand aside That com 5
lissIon has vast powers II virtually 7
lperintends the finances Of Germany '
II many wears. About ten billions in r
merlcan loans are now tied up in Europe,
nd in the liquidation of that obligation X
le Preparations Commission, which is no
ay directly charged with it, will have an
1portant indirect effect. By refusing
) ratliy the Treaty the United States
III lose Its voice in the League and on
le Commission, 50 far as financial settle
ents growing out Of the war are involved.
VIII lose voice IN the disposal of ship
ng 10 he turned over bv GERMANY
having helped to set up a
eague that Will influence world finance
ld economies to i large degree. the Il
nlted States will find It's position some "
nat complicated by remaining out Of il. l.
let the League opponents hold that :,
Is country has an impregnable economic y,
ii financial position; that so long AS it a
= successful producer Of goods, the world
II buy; that so long as it has money to s
ld the world will borrow. Their con- "
ntlon l. that no League of Nations can Ia
ertundamental laws of trade and finance "
q that II the United States must depend "
membership in a League in order 10 Il,
business with the remainder of the b,
rid lts clam 10 consideration is de- II
iedlv wabbly y
Probably there Will be immediate dis or
of different kinds in staving N
tsidc the League. largely for the reason u.
At the League has been set up and that
ny nations have adjusted their plans wi
relation 10 i. They already are recog- ha
lng the League as "a factor in world su
airs The League has an important sn
ictlon ~ CARRYING the Treaty into effect ca
! establishing world peace, and the oy
tied States Is Interested i'm that matter do
those who oppose the League declare fai
I already the old world has begun to dc
ke private agreements and alliances an
! Is settling up such affairs as the Fiune
)ute without reference to the League Cc
Just as if the League did not exist. ire
he long run they claim that immediate SIS
advantage which the United States IN,
suffer will be outweighed bv its IN,
error economic status in world affairs all
ch they do not believe can be affected foy
way or another by the League. N,
the pending Treaty fails of ratifca- thf
IN the United States, something will cJa
e to be substituted in order to pIIt an de,
lal end to the war with Germany al,
that will involve a great deal of trouble am
meantime, trade with Germany has mo
! reopened and probably will deyeloD
riding to the ability Of Germany to of