The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1920-09-17
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guided people.

81
pathy and desire to serve, that most
reluctantly and with grave misgivings.
as l announced at the time, | with
reservations designed to preserve our
essential liberty of action. The record
Ia made and under the same condi-
lions, confronted by the same alterna-
tive, should vote now as l voted then.
But the conditions have changed
Experience has brought enlightenment
We know now that the League con-
stituted at Versailles Is utterly impo-
tent as a preventative of wars. 1t is
so obviously impotent that it has not
even been tried. The original League,
mistakenly conceived and unreason-
ably insisted upon, has undoubtedly
passed beyond the possibility of restor-
alton. The maturer judgment of the
world will be that 1t deserved to pass
for the very simple reason that, con
trary to all of the tendencies developed
by the civiliziag processes of the world,
1t rested upon the power of might, not
of right
THE assertion is made frequently
tionality we might have saved the life
OF the covenant-that is to say, that.
although twenty eight nations could
not make 1t function, one added to the
twenty-eight would have achieved
glowing success, provided always that
the one were America.
This pays to America the tribute OF
f,A h,,f 7
If the world Is dependent upon our
action to bring about the supreme
realization, then we ought to have the
say about our own freedom in partici-
patton therein. But let us consider
what is meant by this reliance upon
America. What can 1t signify X not
that 1t is to the United States, and to
the United States alone, that the other
twenty-eight nations look for the bone
and sinew, the money, the munitions
and the men to sustain the entire or
ganization, not as an agency of peace,
but as an armed force?
"a few days ago a delegation of an
organization which calls itself a society
for the prevention of war appealed to
and use the powers of the world in
defense of Poland, Armenia and the
Dardenelles. The British Premier re-
piled, according to his remarks quoted
by the newspapers, to the effect that,
while the formation of an interna
tional army would be an ideal solu-
tion,' 1t could not be accomplished be
h0 EY1r
furnish the troops and the United
States had withdrawn from co-opera-
ton "a polite and diplomatic phrase
and more exactly meaning, of course,
that the Senate of the United States
had not completed the partial obliga-
ton assumed by the President to do
that very thing-that Is, to furnish the
troops Could clearer indication of
what would have been expected OF this
country as member of the League Of
Nations be desired? Hardly. Some,
too, think, or say they think, that this
extraordinary service should be rem
dered. do not agree with them, but,
assuming that they are right, l venture
to note that nothing stands in the way
of performance The President has
only to call upon Congress to declare
war and to confer upon him specific
authority to raise armies for the pro
lection of the powers which, though
recently associated with, are still for
eign to our own republic.
"It is reasonably safe to assume,
however, that the President will not
pursue this course. Fortunately he is
under no compelling moral obligation
under the League to do 80. His recent
unhappy experience, moreover, in ask
SIG Congress to send American boys to
police Armenia, would hardly encour
age repetition OF a request already
courteously but quite firmly declined
by the Congress. What then In like
circumstances would be the answer of
the British Premier himself? In his
own words, addressing a meeting of the
Coalition Liberals on August IL last
according to the press reports, he said ::
When the terrible question OF peace
or war has to be decided. our first duty
as q government Is to the people, who
trust us not to commit their treasure
to any unjustifiable adventure. Nothing
but the most imperative call of national
honor. national safety and national
freedom can Justify war. Before this
country is committed to 1t. even in the
most limited form. we must be salts.
fed that these are In peril
81 quote these telling words, my
country men, with the utmost satisfac
ton, because with one amendment they
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