Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-09-24
front porch noralizer's wish was
father TO the thought.

front porch n1oralizer's wish was
father 10 the thought.
The League has taken the first
great step toward lifting the burden
Of taxation from the backs of all
peoples and toward removing one
of the chief causes of war. II has
organized the Armamcnts commits
sion which is now at work on the
beginning Of a plan for universal
disarmament for submission to the
nations of the world. Obviously,
owing to The action of the senatorial
junkerS in defeating the ratification
!; of the treaty, the United States is
not represented on this important
commission.
the League has appointed per-
mancnt mandates commission 10
supersiSe The administration of the
territories and peoples free from
German and Turkish rule. The APP
plication of this new principle is
vitality important to us, not only
from the viewpoint of freedom of
trade for American commerce, but
still more from the viewpoint of
establishing a system of Justice
which will prevent backward coun-
tries from becoming the tinderboX
of wars. In destroying the League
Senator Harding would also de-
stroy this machinery for bringing
about international justice and
peace.
The council of the League will
place before the assembly at the
meeting in November the proposal
for a joint committee to work on
the plans and principles of econo-
mic blockade as the best guarantee
of world peace and the greatest re-
straint on an outlaw natoin that the
countries of the world have ever
agreed put into effect. Unless
the United States is member of
the League it cannot join in forg-
ing this powerful weapon Of peace.
The League has called financial
conference TO meet in Brussels the
last OF this month, which will be
the most important international
gathering since the Versailles con-
ference. At this conference, which
touches the interests and welfare
of every nation of the world, the
United States will not be officially
represented, thanks 10 the attitude
Of Senator Harding and his treaty
wreckcrS.
Singlc-handcd in Poland, the
League is fighting, with funds pro-
vided by its members, the typhus
epidemic, doing its best 10 keep
back from the rest of the world
the flood of this fearful scourgc.
1t has established an international
Health office, bureau TO fight the
international exploitation of opium
and other drugs, and division TO
suppress the international trade in
women and girls. which has become
blot upon modern civilization. In
all this work the United States has
no part. sa-.
Rejecting the League of Nations
Senator Harding would build a new
Lodge-Harding League around the
defunct Hague Tribunal, apparently
ignorant of the fact that the idea
of such court lies at the heart of
the present League, The plans for
this court, Permanent Court of
International Justice" have just
been completed and are ready for
submission to the Assembly of the
League at its meeting in November.
Elihu Root served as a member of
this particular subdivision of the
Leagues activities.
These are some of the main ac-
Invites Of the League in the seven
months of its existence. 1t is far
from being a wreck" as Senator
Harding proclaims. On the con-
trary it is going ahead most cour-
ageously regardless of the United
States. AS MIR. Fosdick says:
eve cannot destroy it, nor can
we substitute another League in It's
place. Indeed, the latter conten-
ton is the sheercst absurdity. We
have only two choices-to stay out
side Of a community of nations or
ganiZed for cooperation and peace
and thereby lose our whole place in
the world, TO say nothing of our
own soul as a nation, or TO come in
TO the League with reservations,
If we think necessary and put our
shoulder to the wheel in all those
great movements for which Amcri-
can foreign policy has always
Stood