Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-19

Comparative Birthpangs.


wrangle heatedly over every vital sec.
ton of the Constitution of the Fed
Grafton or Union of the World which
the republic is invited to enter? The
Covenant Of the World League OF Ma.
tons is the tentative Constitution OF
a World Union, and its important pro,
Visions are being analysed and dis
cussed and fought over today in every
corner of the republic.
This earnest and prolonged debate
is natural. wholesome and in accord
with the presidents. If the birth
pangs of the Constitution of the Amer
lean Union were protracted and in
tense. much more protracted and
agonizing will naturally be the birth
pangs of the Constitution Of the Union
of the World. ...
The Constitution of the United
States was born only after months of
travail. Angry wrangling. especially
over questions Of representation and
between the large and the small states.
marked by threats of withdrawal from
negotiation and by reversals Of de-
cision. characterized the debates of our
constitutional convention and Of the
ratifying conventions Of the states.
Yet our colonies. homogeneous racial
ly, in language and. in conditions Of
developing environment. were already
merged in confederation by a war
won in common. and had learned from
painful experience the absolute neces-
sity Of a more perfect union, if the in
dividual communities were 8, to avoid
bankruptcy and military impoteney to
resist foreign enemy. sa ~
The proposed Union, of the World
seeks to merge for certain purposes
a hodgepodge of heterogeneous ma
lions or peoples Of diversified races,
languages, interests, traditions. civil.
cations and methods OF thought, with
no such compelling necessity to drive
them together, - ;.
Should not the constitution Of, this
world league like that, Of the United
States) be worked. over deliberately
and painfully by each member OF. the
proposed union until after amend.
ment, genuine, il. tardy, agreement
to its proviaiens may be recoedede
The United States Today Is compar-
ing what it must sacrifice and what 1T
will gain for itself and the world as a
member of the proposed world league.
1t is studying whether the constitu-
ton or covenant of the league is SO
worded. as to make the league war.
preventing or wal: provoking, and
whethsft TIE. sTpcrtionIheit IL repre-
sentative power under ITS provisions
il equitab1e.ss g. .ls-t "a
Asssnts'to the sscpstifutiion Z 81 the
world leasae Is snot wisely compelled
by ooercion. ~. 10y. ~.
Europe, Asaa ana Africa are not to
Be cosrced INTO assent atos,the,~ ,ecye.
nants Of this particular consultation
.as aHsAmeriean demand. ana as the
pr1eessM shFAad. Of. seldfeFsssaif6 sef
money fromlrAYiief1f to night famine
and fbolshevism and to prevent h pos
issbles Gkrman come-back. The United
ssates,Indieatesths it will not permit
itselfste be soerced. by threat Of defam-
alton a. :. 9aitser n diEesardins the
alleged pseadings Of Europe, Asia and
Africa refuses fo accept thfs par.
ticular constitution .preciselyas it is
framed = - 70.
The strength. # = union pact 10 in
exact accord with the sincerity of the
voluntary assent Of those VINO form
it: Wat binding. enduring zlSSgth
will there be, in an aHeement1n it is
wrung under daress EST from m. the he pnwill-
Ing orrs,uctaats rs