The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-10-01

ance to the stricken peoples OF Flu
rope. / include all OF them and
speak with a genuinely sympathetic
heart, whether II Is to mention de.
vastated France, or sOrely-tricd Italy,
or nobly struggling Poland, or dis
Trarted and misguided Russia. or gall
liant little Belgium. or pitiably deceived
Austria. or the ruthless invader, Ger
many, which came to the supreme
tragedy through a leadership which
brnught disaster 10 her misguided PEG
pie.
1t WAS with that feeling of SYM
lathy and desire Ia serve, that nos
reluctantly and with grave nlisgi>ingS.
as announced III The time, | will
reservations designed 20 preserve u
essential liberty Of action. The rec
ord Is made, and under the sane con-
litions, confronted hJ the Sanie alter.
native. / Should ute now as | voted
then.
Conditions Have Changed.
"But the conditions have changed
Experience has brought ~emli-litcn-
i1ent. We know nov that The league
constituted ri Versailles is utterly inn
potent as a preventive Of wars. Ii il
so obviously inpotent that It has not
even been tried. The original league,
mistakenly conceived and |uuteason-
ably insisted upon. has u~nloubtedlv
passed beyond tlte possibility Of res
tofatIou. The lna-;rrg judgment Of
the world Will be iilat IL deserved to
pass for the very simple rcaS"tl that.
contrary to all of lte tendencies dcyel-
oped by the ciyiliziu@ processes Of the
world. it rested upon The power Of
might not Of right.
Tile assertion IL made frequently
that through the surrender of our ma
tinnality We might have saved the life
ol the coNeHnnt-tllat is to say, that.
although tW"utN-cight nations could
make IL function. one added to the
tWenty-eicht would have %nchielcG y
glowing success, provided. always, that
the oie We're America
This pays 10 America the tribute
~ exceptional Influence. bat | suggest
that If he world IS dependent upon our
action ~ bring about the supreme ZEAL
i@zaiion. then we ought 10 have the say
about Il W freedom in participant
ing therein. Etit lei liS consider what
is meant ~ ibis reliance urof Alnpri-
rt. What can it signify if not that
= is To the Cnited States. and to thu
! Uiipi States alone. HAT the other
t~WehtN-eight nations look for The bone
and SineN. the money, the munitions
and the men 10 sustain the c,ltire or
-anization. not as an agency of peace.
hut as IN armed forset
A Telling Admission.
~ few days 80 Il delegation Of an
organization which calls i,>ele a So
ciriy far the Prevention Of War ap-
ue:fed 10 The premier OF Great Britain
Ia unite and use the powers of the
world in defense Of Polann. Armenia
and the barlanelles. The British pre-
llier replied. according To his remarks
quoted by The newspapers. To the eff
fcet that. while the formation OF AN
International army would he IAN ideal
solution. ii could not he accomplish
Ell because the EUrnuean nations could
net furnish The troops and The United
ZION a polite and diplomatic phrase
ami more exactly meaning. of course.
that HE senate Of the United states
',ad not completed the partial "bliya-
ii"n assumed by the President to do
that very thing-tltai is. 10 furnish the
rronps. Could \ clearer indication Of
What would have been expected or this
country as Il member of the league he
desired? Hardly. Some. too. think. on
"a. sln.y ihink. that this extranrdinar,
service should he rendered. do no.
agree with them, but. assuming that
they are right. ! venture t. note that
n:th.nt tands in the way 4: perform
aneo. The President has only To call
congress 10 declare war. and r.
upon him specific authority to
raise armies for he protection Of The
powers which. though recently aSSo
with. are still foreign to oar
own republic.
- II -tuSoIttuIv SAFE 10 assume.
however. that the President viii not
rCrsne this eOurS" Fortunately. he
.i.t'tler no compelling moral olliga
under the league 70 do y Hi
recent ,..lhappy experience. moreover.
in :ls.s.n" Congress III send American
boys 10 police Armenia would hardly
encourage repetition OF u Irquesf al
read, e~onrtenuSly hut quito firmly lie.
by the Congress What then. IN
ike circumstances. uauld be the an.
suel Of the British, premier himself?
In his own words. addressing n meet
nc Of the Coalition Liberals on Au-
rust Il last. according To the press
'eparis. he said:
when the terrible question 81
,eace or wal has To he decided, our
duty rs = government is to the
lrOple who trust rs not to commit,
+Aeir treasure TO amy umjustitiable ad-
,,nture. Nothing hnt The most impera
i've call nf national honor. national
"a tcfv- onJ ,fott,rul trrn1o,a ~.