Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-29
WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 20, 1872
Vyhv Not Go Into the League?


II now begins TO appear that those
who led the country into such tumultuHus
repudiation Of the League OF Nations at
the November election are somewhat
Harmed az the situation they have ere
ated While they still essay 20 be opposed
~ accepting the League Covenant, or
even countenancing il openly, they are
making various suggestions Of arrange
nents 10 bring shout. through other chan
nels what the League aims st IN such
promising manner-the pease Of the en-
t,re world
Prezdent-elect Harding took the lead
N this cab movement towards universal
pesce by hi. somewhat mysterious sug-
cpst,on ~ an international association,
though where ne can find confreres for our
country N such an associatlcn-sa
Germany. Russla, Bulgaris and turkey
+, = DIFFICULT 70 conceive. he has not yet
announced the details Of bis plan. prob
abl,-frprn tho fact that there if no room Tor
details But hls inclination in the direc-
ton n some movement 70 do what the
roarlc 81 Nations IS likely 70 do, and
sIr,lv vauld do with our country as IT'S
eaaing member. is very significant.
Even the 'IrrecoucIlables" are stirred 70
movement in the direction Of the much
desired world peace. although they Will
not FOR an instant colmtenance the League
n Nations But they incline TO the
straight pathway it has marked out.
senator Borah OF Idaho has introduced IN
he senate a resolution which seeks to OBJ
ain from Great Britain and France their
yisws on a so per cent reduction in future
naval armament, and even Senstor john
snn Of Califrnis. TO whom mention OF the
LEAGUE az Nations during the campaign
was Ike unto shaking red flag at an
angry hull. in sn address to the Senate. on
Monday. said he thought great good could
~ accomplished IL the FIVE great Powers
United States, Great Britain, France,
Itsiv ard Japan-would sgree 70 limit
their naval and military programs. But
all save aur country have virtually agreed
- this by becoming members a the
League Of Nations
Pr thus reason. Secretary Of the Navy
Daniels refuses u abardoD the plan OF
naval enlargement upon which our coun-
TN had entered during the war period, and
n the nasin he is right n his attitude.
Which Is 70 accord with the overwhelming
mandate 81 the people st the election.
~. even the hostile Senate which defeat
r4tifcation Of the Peace Treaty and the
cue Covenant is likely 70 repudiate
a.s increased naval armament program.
The present Congress enacted legislation
uniting The size of the standing army 70
little Iess than 800. 600 men, and then
allowed an appropriation which was sui
sclent only for an army of oDe-thlrd less
nsze The same tactics may be resorted
- IN respect Of a naval program-an ap-
pr72riation that Will not come WITHIN
shouting distance Of the sum necessary
D the proposed expansion program.
In this discreditable, shifting manner,
the administration which VIII begin lts
iu'Ies al Washington, next March may
eudeavor 10 back away from It's attl-
uldc of hostility 20 world peace and lay
plans for endeavoring TO secure fpr our
,ountrv some Of the great benefits which
we're deliberately set aside by reputation
II the League Of Nations. But II would be
much better 70 abandon such shiftless
and ineffective tactics, and boldly come
around 70 the only feasible and promising
plan-membership in the League. There
emo possibility of forming any other inter
national organization, as all the countries
+ standing and influence, together with
al the smaller nations, already are IN
close communion in the League.
When such ''irreconcilable' opponents
Of the League Of Nations Is Borah and
johnson arrive at the point where they
can give public support 70 propositions 70
which the League stands committed
propositions looking TO world peace and
he prevention If all waI-We have proof
that the lcaycn is working and that those
who opposed the League Of Nations are
now inclining favorably towards its OBJ
lects and purposes But why beat about
the bush" with impossible propositions
g supplant II by other measures; IT IS 10
actual existence. and ita first session
marked an epoch in the world history
nn epoch ~ world peace Il is here 70
-tav. and We cannot impair its coed works
81 remaining outside its fold Already the
country Is Jeceding from its surprising
verdict of the November election Let us
hope II vii continue 70 recede until the
desired result is obtained