Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-09-08

agency IN pursuit or peace, out SO Or
| ganized and so participated in as to
| make the actual attainment Of peace a
reasonable possibility. Such an associ-
alton l favor with all my heart, and l
would make no fine distinction as
to whom credit Is due.
This is proposing no new thing.
| This country Is already a member OF
f, such society-The Hague tribunal,
which, unlike the league Of Versailles,
Is still functioning, and within few
weeks will resume it's committee SEES
sions under the craftsmanship of an
American representative.
"In that body we have the frame
work Of a really effective instrument
tally of enduring peace The fact
| that the tribunal did not prevent the
| great war Is, of course, manifest, but
the cause of the failure is no less APP
parent. Germany, already secretly de-
| termined upon ruthless invasion, was
| able to prevent the adoption of meas
ures which might have proved effec-
tual. The condition now is wholly diff
ferent. Not only Germany, but the
entire world has profited to the extent
Of an awful object lession, the impress
sion of which cannot be erased from
the human mind for generations to
come. The horrors of war and the
! eagerness for peace have become uni
versal. What once seemed at The
| Hague to be mere academic discus
| sion has become a positive, outstand-
| ing need of facing terrifying actuall-
ties. This makes vastly easier the task
Of so strengthening The Hague tribu-
nal as to render its Just DEGREES either
acceptable or enforceable. 1t is not
uncommon for the advocates of the
| league of Versailles to contrast I'M
| favorably The Hague tribunal upon
| teeth ... ........
Let's Install the Teeth.
"Very well, then, let's put teeth in
to it. If, in the failed league of Yer
sailles, there can be found machinery
which the tribunal can use properly
and advantageously, by all means let
| 1t be appropriated l would even go
| further. would take and combine all
that is good and excise all that is
bad from both organizations. This
| statement is broad enough to include
the suggestion that If the league
which has heretofore riveted our con-
siderations and apprehenslons, has
been so entwined and interviewer into
the peace Of Europe, that its good
must be preserved in order to stabilize
| the peace of that continent, then II
can be amended or revised so that
aspirations in 1918 builded into the
worlds highest conception Of helpful
| cooperation In the ultimate realiza-
! ton.
II believe humanity would well
| come the creation of an International
association for conference and a
world court whose verdicts upon justi-
ciable questions. this country In COM
mon with all nations would be both
willing and able to uphold. The de-
| cisiOn of such court or the recon-
mendations of such conference could
be accepted without sacrificing on
| our part or asking any other power
to sacrifice one iota Of it's nationality.
"The Democratic nominee has spo-
| ken about America abandoning her as
sociates in war and deserving the
allied nations In establishing the
league of Versailles. | do not think
| 1t longer necessary to challenge that
statement or pass further opinion upon
the unfortunate league. 1t has al.
ready been abandoned by Europe,
which had gone so far as to accept
| it by formal agreement in treaty. On
this subject, we are fully informed at
first hand. Only the other day the
British premier said unresentfully
that the essential cooperation OF
America might involve some change,
at any rate, In the form of the cove.
nant,' and he added, with characters
tic outspokenness, it Is quite posi-.
bic it might be change for the better
listen. further, to the wise and far
seeing, former British ambassador
who was not permitted to present his
credentials to our executive.
On Our Own Terms.
"'As long said Viscount Grey, hard
ly month ago. as long as the richest
most powerful, the greatest, both fol-
population and territory, of the civil
lied countries of the world stands out
side the league, the league will be un
able to fulfill its destiny. To put 1t In
quite plain terms, the Americans mus
be told that If they will only join the
league they can practically name theil
own terms Undoubtedly that is the
fact. / ask: Is there any good rea
son why we should not avail ourselves
OF this privilege? I do not mean IN
any arrogant or selfish way, but sim
ply as matter of fairness and right
to our own people. Surely It Is be
coming, and duty as well, TO safe
guard our own people, since II Is we
who are the main contributors, while
asking nothing for ourselves except Il
participate In a contribution to the
promotion Of world peace
| A Valued Suggestion.
"Viscount Grey continues: The
Americans should be intrusted with
the task of drafting reconstruction
scheme Then he suggests further
that "a committee Of the sentative
/ A. 49,. til.