El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-10-23

! them. the British and French. gov
I ernmenfg VIII pIaintfvely remark that
since the president has laid down the
I just borders, which they are unable q
[ guarantee, the United States should IT.
self maintain the integrity Of the
Z Wilson lines
The Russian-Polish war was quies.
cent when the league council wal
I formed. The league has been We
Z hemeutly blamed for not preventing
the Polish offensive in the spring
The matter was discussed IN the coun-
ell Of the league, but g was felt that
any Intervention between Poland and
the Reds must be one-sideds since the
league could bring pressure on Po-
land but not on the BoIshevizs More
over, IL is clear, though league Of
1iclals would not admit the fact, that
the French and British support foI
the Poles so long as they were win
! ming would have made 1t impossible
for the league 20 act II It so desired
Secured AEmisffee.
The first real test OF the powers
OF the league as peace makers came
when l. interviewed last month IN the
dispute between Poland and Lithuania,
lighting had already taken place, but
the league secured an armistice,
brought Polish and Lithuanian dele
gates together. and put forward a
PROVISIONAL frontier line and arnfs-
tice terms upon which both sets Of
delegates agreed
Lastly the league council Is deter
mining the fate Of the Aaland Is
lands In the Baltic TO prevent Swe-
den and Finland fighting over their
possession Both Swedes and Firms
regard possession OF the islands as
vital and it IS clear that both are
wiling 70 fight upon the issue. The
league in attempting 70 keep the
peace is favored by the fact that none
OF the great powers, any one OF whom
az present IS able 70 defy the league
is interested in the result
Nay Use Economic Pressure.
Thus for the first time the eco
nomic measures agreed upon in the
covenant for coerclnE recalcitrant na-
tons may come into play.
The weakness OF the LEAGUE NJ uren-
ent are nowhere made more clear than
in this test case OF the AEIand L.
lands, which may result in the Ieague's
first important success. The league
is poWerlesa against EsnrInud, France
or Italy IN any case in which foreign
offices Of those countries are inclined
TO defy the council The league r.
also helpless TO act against Soviet
RUSSIA, or to Interfere in affairs Of
Asia or Africa.
Policeman For Powers.
This. Of course, was not president
Wilson'S vision OF the leagues fu-
ture- From one viewpoint IL corrob-
crates the charges OF the enemies OF
the league that the league can only
be used effectively az a policeman for
the great powers. when those powers
are agreed Emir Feisuls, for eI-
ample, has appealed 10 the league
against the action OF the French IN
0verthroWing his government in Sy-
ria The league council has taken no
action and il IS clear that il can
lake none. for it cannot decide
agaiust in favor OF a small and help
less nation. The French would sim
ply defy the decision. and the league
IS anxious TO issue no mandate during
Its present feeble state which cannot
be enforced
A member Of the league secrstariat /
explained TO me, when I put forward
these views, the other side.
we all know very we'll he said,
that the league cannot defy the
5reat powers at present In a sense
he league IS dominated by them But /
axe this case OF the Aaland Islands !
which you say we can settle only be- /
.ause. the big fellows are agreed TO 4
1--WE us a free hand That is true I
But consider the advantage TO tho I
world that in this case our councils !
Existence and ability TO act affords /
Z there were no league Of nations /
his dispute would probably terminate I
n war between Finland and 4
weden.-Copyrigh 1920. by Mcclure /
newspaper Syndicate.