The Washington herald., 1920-12-12


daily scans the news reports,
i or who reads with some care,
this old world seems to be badly
mussed up. It is not the province
OF the headlines to. reassure him.
He finds 1t easier to be a pessimist
than an optimist- Yet now as al
ways the safest guide of judgment
is just good. every day horse sense.
It Is always a safe bet that only
the exceptional man will do what
will hurt him. Only a few. really
bite on their own noses knowingly.
though many may seem to be snap.
ping at it. 1t does not take great
wisdom to see back of a curtain,
IL one will take the trouble to step
one side and let the side lights
play on its transparency.
League Troubles Old. >
1t has been the most natural
thing in the world for the smaller
nations to undertake to control the
league of nations. They do not
even need to take leaf out of the
present day book, which on each
page tells of the efforts of the
masses to suppress the classes. Back
as far as the organization of The
Hague Tribunal, it was the demand
of all the little nations to have
equal representation with the
greater powers, that defeated the
forming Of real court. Out Of the
mess came merely a tribunal for
voluntary arbitration
If the League of Nations had no,
been formed In secrecy and sprung
full fiedged upon q not over anxious
world. 1t probably would not have
been formed at all. The best surety
of its continued existence is that all
the nations got in, without thinking
much about il. Gace in they are
finding that it is better to stay than
try to get out. and its greatest
promise of usefulness lies in that
very fact
Argentine Bold.
There was great rejoicing among
the bitter enders" when they heard
that Argentina has gathered up her
dolls and blue dishes. determined
to quit and go home. She had
started a stampeSs," she had found
the league was a straight jacket"
the inevitable disintegration had
begun" they had not been as wise
as the United States that "discov-
cred two years ago" what kept 1t
out. Once there was a man who
stood on his head on the wild sea-
shore and on his ears he danced a
jig" because his mother-in-law had
just sailed away. But when he went
home he found she had returned.
THE explosion of. the bitter end
ers" was premature. Mr.. Pu-
eyrredon, representing Argentina.
refused to play because the league
refused to at once admit Germany
and her allies. He will get mighty
little sympathy and in fact had no
votes but his own. No one else
followed him, nor hung his vacant
chair with Grape. Not only his, but
all other amendments were laid
over. Others who proposed them
accepted this decision, though It
was evident that several had broad
support and little objection, espe>
cially that of Canada proposing to
drop Article x entirely. But it was
recognized that it was too soon to
begin amendments, with the United
States absent, with Russia in a state
Of chaos, and so many other dis
turbed conditions. 1t was equally
impossible to plan disarmament in
advance of Russia's return to stable
conditions. with Germany still
armed and with turmoil in Asia
Minor. Great Britain, France and
Italy have still too much use for
armies
America Wanted.
The one outstanding fact of the
league session to date is that the
United States can go in on its own
terms and that those terms will in
general decide the form and sub
stance of future amendments. The
first six articles of the covenant
provide for the organization. Even
these may be changed, but they, not
any particular article. from the
heart of the covenant" They will
bring the nations of the world to-
gether around the international
council table. 1t is they that have
brought The present imposing spec
tacle at Geneva of IL nations meet
ing in friendly relations andsseeking
agreement.
Add to these six articles the Root
International court with Jurisdiction
to compel appearance, and economic
pressure to enforce decisions, and
Mr.. Harding will have his "associa-
tion of nations" in effective, sub
stantial and resultful form. In time
this is what probably will come and
the United States has the strategic
position to hasten that time while
cleansing the covenant of every YES
tige of militarism so repugnant to
this people.
Visit Personal.
Senator Mccormick is in England
and as usual the English misunder-
stood his mission. They accept him
as an emissary of Mr.. Harding. As
a fact, his visit is purely personal.
II an emissary of anyone, it is of
his "bitter-ender" comrades of the
Senate. He has gone to find opposi-
tion to the league. He will find
1t, and with equal or greater ease
could find it's favor and support, IL
that was what he wanted. But the
important thing is that he does not
in any way represent or have the
sanction of Mr.. Harding.
EVERYONE wants to know and
Il no one does know who will be In
the new cabinet. The only SEEM
ingly probable development Is that
with so many senatorial friends and
intimates to choose from, Mr.. Hard
ing thinks it wiser to take none.
In this he will have entire public
approval. Out among the people, 60
where you will, ask whom you
choose, only one name is named and
only one meets instant, whole
hearted, earnest endorsement -
Elihu Boot for Secretary of State.
NO broad or general interest is taken
in any other nlaca nor In an,r o4ha.