The Washington herald., 1920-12-19

league of nations or none Now that
the campaign is over, II Is not nee
essary for anyone to deny-and II
never was-that IL the league Of
nations had not been formed when
Il was it never would have been
formed Let Mr.. Wilson have that
much credit He Is entitled to IL.
IL never should have been refused
him and never would have been had
he himself not been so stubborn over
the substance as to lose sight Of the
fact. 1t is perfectly evident except
10 the wiIfulIy blind that had IL
rot been formed promptly follow
ing the close of the war IL would
not have been formed at all.
II is wholly a consequence of the
war. The war is not only the
cause OF its being, but of it's being
what il is 1t is the key to its
faults, its lack of definiteness and
It's unenforcIble provisions. Those
who framed 1t had constantly in
mind the enemy countries they had
Vanquished. 1t was the product OF
the victors in the most awful of
wars. Its provisions for peace were
bssed upon the experiences of that
war. Not all wars, nor war as an
abstract proposition. but this one
war as concrete experience, was
In mind. 1t necessarily took much
Cf the meaning and the frame of an
alliance 1t was rather to prevent
the-same combination from ever ap-
poaTing again than TO prevent all
war in its inception
The Big stick I'm Evidence.
Court action, court powers, law
and international opinion were al
most ignored. Militarism was the
Pronounced factor. military and eco
non1ic force. There is nothing of
prevention through good understand
ing. mutual helpfulness, or the pro-
motion of fair dealing: there is no
soft speaking, but only the big
stick. The covenant is not based
upon the rule OF law, but only OF
force The hungry are not to be fed;
the sick in body. mind and spirit are
not to be healed; the idle are not to
be given a chance TO work; II in no
sense provides a haven of rest and
security, but only a penal institu-
tion. In every line the covenant
breathes the injunction: Be good or
be damned This is all the natural
aud Inevitable result of it's coming
just when it did following the tense
ness, the bitterness, the hatred and
the fears of great war which en-
quilted nearly the whole world.
But this same situation, this Same
mental world condition made IL pos
sible. 1t was framed in secret by
the few. War conditions make this
possible. 1t was sprung as a COM
pfeted pact 1t was revised after but
hurried and rather casual considera-
tion. II was accepted by all the
- L T.
its making, save one-the United
States The others were close to the
scene and must stay there. 1t was
the best to be had and anything with
any promise of preventing a recur-
renee of that war was better than
nothing. For them II was in place
of an alliance. 1t was the only sub
stitute, and alliance was forbidden.
as il would be but another balance
of power" I.
How They signed the Pact.
War terrified. Sick at heart Of
slaughter. Torn to tAtte-s. Either
within-s sight of the sI1ug hter house.
or sore from its rebodI1. InlpeIIed
by popular sentiment. Compelled
by an idealistic demand. Horrified
by what had been and gripped By
economic disasters. This WAS me
situation which impelIed the other
nations, with small part or neutral
to follow the lead of the victOrS.
They did not want to be CEASED
with the vanquished. They also
could see little they hal at stake
in making the venture. One after
the other they signed, aIn.C st win
out hesitation. They were forced
in by the impulse of a hugo mass
movement
Could this or any league of ua-
tions have been formed in time
of complete peace? Could IL be
formed now after a two years
interval? This first meeting at
Geneva answers The Root court
answers. What happened at The
Hague when forming a world coasI
failed answers. 1t could not nave
been done. Much less can this leagIs
and covenant be thrown away and
wholly new ones be formed. Nor
Is this alone or chiefly because for
ty-one governments will not lec the
United States alone dictate ID them
and compel them. 1t is not because
1T is a poor thing, but it Is mine
own" 1t is primarily because there
would be too many mi lds and TOO
many interests, too much of in
tlgue, of ambition. of Jealousy. ahj
of suspicion.
The Clashing Of Viewpoints.
These factors have all been in evil
dence at this first meeting of the
league at Geneva. At every turn
there has been the demand of the
small nations for equality with the
big. There has been the clash of the
international "proletariat" with the
'-plutocracy" of nations. Refusal to
give up neutral rights, to take on un-
usual burdens, to share responsible
ity, TO surrender any freedom or in
dependence of action, to be bound by
any but their own free will, to give
without a substantial quid pro quo.
fear of being used as a catspaw.
these have characterized the assem-
bty's attitude where the small ma
tions have voice and the veto. With
these is the demand for greater au-
thority. more influence, greater pow
er and that the least shall be equal
to the greatest.
Mr.. Root foresaw this when he
provided that the judges of the pro-
posed court should be nominated by
The Hague Tribunal and that but a
limited number-no two from the
same country-should then be elected
by the assembly and. council. He
foresaw 1t when he provided that
The Hague Tribunal should become
the court of arbitration Of the league.
He remembered that at The Hague
every nation demanded the right to
name one of the judges of whatever
court was formed