Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-09-09

American representative.
In that body we have the frame
work of 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 ap
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 exten
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 actuai
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 IN
favorably The Hague tribunal upon
the ground that the tribunal lacks
teeth
Let's Install the Teeth.
"Very well, then, let's put teeth IN.
to 1t. If, In the failed league of Yer
sa1lles. there can he 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 apprehensions, has
been so entwined and interviewer into
the peace of Europe, that its good
must be preserved n order to stabilize
the peace of that cont nent. then il
can be amended or rev sed 50 that
we may still have remnant of world
aspirations in 1913 builded into the
worlds highest conception Of helpful
cooperation in the ultimate reaiiZa-
ton.
Il believe humanity would well
come the creation of an international
association for conference and
world court whose verdicts upon justi-
cable questions, this country in COM
mon with all nations would be both
To no do
c1sion 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 its nationality,
"The Democratic nominee has spo-
ken about America abandoning her as
sociates in war and deserving the
league Of Versailles I do not think
it 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
1T by formal agreement in treaty. On
this subject, we are fully Informed at
first hand. Only the other day the
British premier said unresentful1y
that the essential cooperation of
America might involve some change,
at any rate, in the form of the cove
nant,' and he added, with characteris-
tic outspOkenness, 1T Is quite posi-
BILE 1t might be change for the better
Listen, further, to the wise and far
mo prf+ oh Il
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 for
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 it in
quite plain terms, the Americans must
be told that if they will only join the
league they can practically name their
own terms Undoubtedly that is the
fact. ! ask: Is there any good rea-
son why we should not avail ourselves
Of this privilege? l do not mean in
any arrogant or selfish way, but sim
ply as a matter of fairness ard right
to our own people. Surely 1t is be-
coming, and a duty as WELL to safe
guard our own people, since it is we
who are the main contributors, while
asking nothing for ourselves except to
participate in a contribution to the
promotion of world peace
A Valued Suggestion.
"Viscount Grey continues: The
Americans should be intrusted with
scheme Then he suggests further
that "a committee of the sentative
must never forget the senate's rights
and duties in regard to foreign af-
fairs being REINFORCED by the mem
bers of the house of representatives
and also by nominees Of the President,
and Supreme Court-could draw up
suggestions for the reconstruction of
the league, which would be consonant
with the feeling not of one, but of all
parties in America.
'Frankly, I value that suggestion
very highly, because it is proffered
obviously In helpful and friendly
spirit and reveals an important Old
World opinion on the necessity of
1t comprehends substantially what !
would propose to do If elected presi-
dent. | do not mean precisely that. 1t
would be clearly unwise to undertake
specific suggestions or to attempt to