The Glenwood post., 1921-01-01
Uncle Ted'S Bed Time Stories
Current Events For the Children
and Grown-ups, Too
pANpoRA's BOX AT GENEVA.

II HAS Deeh d lolB tiHie, Ohcle LEU,
since you have told us anything about
the World Club,' Jack reminded his
uncle as they called Ruth and sett!ei
themselves in front of the fire for the
evenings story "Have the members
been doing anything to bring peace into
the world, as lots of people said they
would just as soon as they had meet
ing and laid their plans?'
"No they have not,' replied Uncle
Ted 81 am glad you have spoken of
the World Club, because the first meet
ing has just come to an end at Geneva,
Switzerland. The membcrs met on No
vember 18th and elected one of the Bel
gian delegates as presiding officer. Then
the discussions began, and such a time
as they have had of it, Almost every
one who spoke found some fault with
the covenant which they were all
sworn to obey, and either urged some
change in it to suit the special interests
of his country, or else refused to be
longer bound by its terms. | am just
going to review briefly what happened
at the meeting, as it proves the wisdom
of our own Republican senators vino
said that the world peace club was real
ly world war club, and predicted that
the members never could act together
when it meant the surrender of any
selfish interest.
"The meeting had been in session
only three days when it was voted to
organize world club army, composed
of soldiers from England, France, Bel
GUM and Spain, and send it to place
called Wilma, in the midst of the bloody
uprisings in Russia, to keep order while
the people of the city voted as to
whether they should become citizens If
Iithuania or of Poland. How would
we like to have our soldier boys sent
on such an errand, and yet that is the
very first thing they would have been
ordered to do had the United States
Joined the World Club.
"The next day, November 10th,
there was more trouble. A long note
was received from Germany protesting
against the way the more powerful
members of the club, like England and
France, have been using the former
German colonies for their own benefit.
Under the World Club plan those colo
MES were to be protected by the coun
tries given charge of them, and the ma,
tives taught to use and enjoy what they
produced, the way people do in civil
lied nations. But Great Britain, in
particular, has sought to make herself
rich at the expense of those new ter
ritories. The other members of the
World Club saw the justice of the Ger
man complaint, and tried to review the
action by which most Of the colonies
had been given to England, France and
Japan. But those three countries re-
fused to permit the forty or more other
members to have anything to sav about
it, aid one of the most serious disputes
of the whole meeting resulted; in fact,
almost the last things that were said
were some hot words passed between
the English delegate and the represen-
tions.
Gone of the features of the World
Club plan called upon all members to
stop raising armies and building battle
ships, yet one of the Belgian delega tes,
who is a pacifst, said that he did not
believe in such policy, and urged that
the World Club appoint general staff
of military men to study the best ways
to wage war. He said he was convinced
the World Club would have to compel
obedience to its commands by force of
arms. Which, of course, is exactly
what Republican senator's predicted
would be the case
Some of the members of the World
Club did not take part in the Great
War, but they did sign the club plan
which, in effect, provides that all men,
bers shall assist in enforcing the treaty
by which the war was ended. Those
neutral members protest against taking
part in that enforcement, but of course
they have signed the plan and their
complaints are too late. All they can
do now is to grumble and obey the or
ders of the other members"
Didn' t the meeting do ANYTHING at
all except quarrel" anxiously inquired
Ruth. 81 should think that at least
one man in peace meeting of that
kind would have tried to smile and
make people feel happy"
81 should think so too, agreed