Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-08-13

and bearing ana deserving the con-
tempt of the world, would submit an
entirely new project. This act would
either be regarded as arrant madness
or attempted international bOssism.
These are fateful times. Organized
government has a definite duty all over
the world. The house Of civilization
is to be put in order. The supreme is
sue of the century Is before us and the
nation that halts and delays is playing
with fire. The finest impulses Of hui
mainly, rising above national lines,
merely seek to make another horrible
war impossible Under the old order
of international anarchy war came
overnight, and the world was on fire
before We knew it. It sickens our
senses to think Of another.
Ratification First Duty.
''The first duty of the new admins
tration clearly will be the ratification
Of the treaty. The matter should be
approached without thought of the Bit
terness of the past. The public YER
dict will have been rendered, and am
confident that the friends of world
peace as it will be promoted by the
league will have in numbers the con-
stitutional requisite TO favorable sena-
torial action. The captious may say
that our platform reference to reserva-
tons is vague and indefinite. It's mean
ing, in brief, is that we shall state
our Interpretation Of the covenant as
a matter Of good faith to our asso-
ciates and as a precaution against
any misunderstanding in the future
The point is that after the people shall
have spoken the league will be in the
hands of It's friends IN the senate, and
a safe index as to what they will do is
supplied by what reservations they
have proposed in the past. Some
months ago, in a contributed article to
the New York Times, expressed my
own opinion of the situation as 1t then
was. / reproduce 1t here:
"'There can be no doubt but that
Some senator's have been conscientious
In their desire to clarity the provisions
of the treaty. Two things apparently
have. disturbed them First, they want
ed to make sure that the league was
not to be an alliance, and that its basic
purpose was peace and not controver-
sy. Second, they wanted the other
powers signing the instrument to I'M
derstand our constitutional limitations
beyond which the treaty-making pow
er cannot go. Dealing with these two
questions In order, it has always seem
ed to me that the Interpretation Of the
function of the league might have been
stated in these words:
I'm giving its assent to this treaty,
the senate has in mind the fact that
the League of Nations which it en-
bodies was devised for the sole pur-
pose of maintaining peace and comfy
among the nations Of the earth and
preventing the recurrence of such de-
structive conflicts as that through
which the world has just passed.
The cooperation of the Uaited States
with the League and its continuance
as a member thereof, will naturally de-
pend upon the adherence Of the
League to that fundamental purpose
"Such a declaration would at least
express the view of the United States
and justify the course which our ma
ton would unquestionably follow If
the basic purpose Of the League were
at any time distorted. 1t would also
appear to be q simpler matter to pro-
vide against any misunderstanding in
the future and at the same time to
meet the objections Of those who be-
lleve that we might be inviting con-
troversy over our constitutional rights,
by making a senatorial addition In
words something like these:
"'It will of course be understood
that In carrying out the purpose of the
League, the government Of the United
States must at all time act in strict
harmony with the terms and intent Of
the United States Constitution which
cannot in any way be altered by the
treaty-making power
Helpful Additions Not Barred.
"Unquestioned friends Of the
League have made other proposals.
Our platform clearly lays no bar
against any additions that will be help
full, but 1t speaks in a firm resolution
to stand against anything that dis
turbs the vital principle. We hear 1t
said that interpretations are unnneces-
sary. That may be true, but they will
ut least be reassuring to many of our
citizens, who feel that in signing the