The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-09-02

would make no fine distinction as
/ 10 whom credit is due.
This is proposing no new thing.
This country is already a member Of
such a sOciety-The Hague tribunal,
is still functioning, and within a few
weeks will resume its committee ses-
sions under the Craftsmanship of an
American representative.
"1n that body we have the frame
work of a really effective instrument
tality 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-
termned upon a 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 extent
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 haye become uni
vcrsal. What once seemed at The
Hague to be mere academic discus
sion has become a positive, outstand-
Ing need of facing terrifying actuali-
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 I'M
fayorably 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
sailles. there can be found machinery
which the tribunal can use properly
and advantageOusly, by all means let
1t be appropriated. / would even go
further. l would take and combine all
that is good and excise all that is
bed 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 in order to stabilize
the peace of that continent, then it
can be amended or revised so that
| Still 90 Il
aspirations in 1913 builded into the
worlds highest conception of helpful
cooperation in the ultimate realiza-
ton.
Il believe humanity would well
come the creation of an international
association for conference and a
world court whose verdicts upon justi.
cable questions, this country in COM
mon with all nations would be both
willing and able to uphold. The de-
cision of such a court or the recon-
mendations of such a 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
allied nations In establishing the
! league of Versailles. l do not think
1t 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 accent
it by formal agreement in treaty On
! this subject, we are fully informed at
! first hand. Only the other day the
British premier said unresentfully
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 it might be change for the better
Listen, further, to the wise and far
seeing, former British ambassador,
who was not permitted to present his
credentials to our executive.
| On Our Own Terms.
Gas 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 I'M
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. l ask: Is there any good rea-
son why we should not avail ourselves
of this privilege? 1 do not mean in
any arrogant or selfish way, but SIM
| ply as matter of fairness and right
to our own people. Surely 1t Is be-
coming, and 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 contribution to the
promotion Of world peace
A Valued Suggestion.
"viscount Grey continues: The
Americans should be intrusted with
the task Of drafting a reconstruction
scheme Then he suggests further
that "a committee of the senate-we
must never forget the senates rights
and duties in regard to foreign af-