Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-04-20
WHERE DOES u. s.
STAND ON PEACE?.
QUESTION is UNANSWERED BY
MEN GUIDING WELFARE OF
THE NATION.
CONGRESS FACES HUGE TASK
Measures Postponed on Account of
Consideration of Peace Trsaty Now
to Get Attention-Youthful Garden
er's Will Surpass work of Preceding
Years.
ey LANES p. HoRNADAY

w dSullS lOu.-II there Is anyone III
public life who knows just what sta
ton the United States occupies in the
| family of nations since the second re-
| lection of the treaty of peace with
Germany he is not talking out loud.
The new secretary of state, Balm
bridge Colby, realizes that he will
have many unusual international
| problems to deal with so long as the
United States declines to go along
with her allies in the war in making
peace with Germany and Austria, and
| he does not hesitate to so express him.
self. On the surface of things cordial
/ relations between the United States
and all the governments of the world,
even including Germany and Austria,
will be maintained but it is well I'M
derstood by all persons acquainted
with international usages that so long
as the United States withholds its
assent to world peace strained rela-
| tons to a certain extent are bound to
exist.
| The League of Nations is, of course,
already a going concern to some ex-
tent, but every nation that has Joined
the league realizes that unless the
United States shall eventually become
a member, the league scheme for pre-
serving world peace will sooner or
later go to pieces. 1t is inevitable, &C.
cording to the best informed states
men, that if the United States should
decide to go it alone in world affairs
other great nations would be obliged
to recast their plans for the future.
Alliances Will Be Formed.
What will happen in case the United
States shall eventually decide to stay
out of the league, so well-informed
| statesmen say, is that offensive and
| defensive alliances will be formed by
the other great powers. This means
that the world will drop back to the
| general defensive and offensive poll
cies that prevailed prior to 1914. The
secret treaty will, it is asserted, be re-
vived and sooner or later every great
power will be suSpecting the motives
of nearly every other great power.
Most of the people of the United
| States, it is believed, by persons who
are in position to speak with some au-
thOrity, will continue to insist that the
1 United States become member of the
League of Nations. Persons who take
this view confidently believe that if
the issue of a league or no league
could be submitted to a referendum
vote there would be no question about
the league receiving a preliminary ma
jority, but the difficulty is to get the
question before the people in any con-
crete form. 1t is generally assumed
| that if nothing is done with the treaty
with Germany between now and June
each of the old political parties VIII
| insert in its national platform a
plank favoring a League of Nations.
If this is done, it is pointed out, any
election result would throw no guiding
light on the minor questions affecting
the treaty, the questions over which
the senate split. The latest informa7
ton from abroad is that the European
nations which have already become
members of the League of Nations
will take a patient attitude with re-
spect to the situation that exists in
this country and will keep the league
door open for the United States.
Congress May Adjourn in June.
Now that the senate has returned
the treaty of peace with Germany to
President Wilson there will be an op-
portunity for that body to dispose of
O large accumulation of business. The
senate was in possession of the treaty
| d little more than eight months and
throughout that period it postponed ac
ton on all legislation except that
which called for immediate attention.
It did find time to pass the bill return
ing the railroads to their owners and
1t has disposed of good deal of I'M
| important legislation, but in a large
way it laid aside for future action pref
ty much everything of Importance pro-
posed during the eight months.
| The body has planned to join with
| the house of representatives to bring
this session TO all end along about June
| l, so as to get out of the way of the
national political conventions, and the
leaders realize that If this is to be
done no time can be wasted from now
! on.
little later the steering copmit-
tees of the senate and house will de-
| eide lust what legislation shall be
| put through between now and the
conventions. 1t is inevitable that
good many important matters will go
over until after the presidential cleo
ton. which means that they will not
| be taken up until the last session of
| this congress, which will begin on the
first Monday of next December.
! Neither of the political parties as rep
resented in congress is particularly
anxious to explore new legislative
fields on the eve of a presidential cleo
ton: the prevailing tendency is to
| pIav safe and wait until after the vot-
ers have spoken.
What to do with the government
owned merchant marine is also ques-