The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-12
tration to lift the burden of excessive

tration to lift the burden of excessive
outlay.
The war department. is reducing the
personnel of the army from the maxi
mum provided by law in June, 1920,
to the minimum directed by congress
in a subsequent enactment. When
further reduction is compatible with
national security, it may well have
the sanction of congress, so that
system of voluntary military training
may offer to our young manhood the
advantages of physical development,
discipline, and commitment to serv-
ice and constitute the army reserve
in return for the training.
Cannot Disarm Yet.
Nearly two and half years ago the
World war came to an end and yet
we find ourselves today in the tech
meal state of war, tho actually at
peace, while Europe is at technical
peace, far from tranquility and little
progressed toward the hope for resto-
ration.
1t i'll becomes US to express impa-
tience that the European belligerents
are not yet in full agreements, when
bring constituted authority into &C
cord in our own relations to the for
mally proclaimed peace.
Little avails in Feciting the causes
OF delay in Europe or our own failure
to agree But there is no longer ex-
cuse for uncertainties respecting some
phases of our foreign relationship. In
the existing League of Nations, world
governing with its super-powers, this
republic will have no part. There can
be no INSTRUMENTATION, and there Will
be no betrayal of the deliberate ex-
preston of the American people in
the recent election; and settled in our
decision for ourselves, it is only fair
to say to the world in general, and to
our associates in war in particular that
the League covenant can haye no
sanction by U.S.
The aim to associate nations to pre-
vent war, preserve peace and promote
civilization, our people most cordially
applauded. We yearned for this new
instrument of justice. but we can have
no part in committai to an agency
of force in unknown contingencies; we
can recognize no super-authority.
World Assn for Justice.
Manifestly, the highest purpose of
the League of Nations was defeated
in linking it with the treaty of peace
and making it the enforcing agency
of the victors of the war.
international association for perma-
nent peace must be conceived solely
as an fundamentally of justice, I'M
associated with the passions of yester-
tempt the dual functions of a political
instrument of the conquerors and OF
an agency of peace. There can be no
prosperity for the fundamental pQr-
poses sought to be achieved by any
such association so long as 1t is or
ganization of any particular treaty, or
committed to the attainment of the
special aims Of any nation or group
of nations.
The American aspiration, indeed,
the world aspiration, was an assocla-
ton of nations, based upon the appli-
cation OF Justice and right. binding Us
in conference and cooperation for the
prevention of war and pointing the
way to q higher civilization and inter-
national fraternity in which all the
world might share. In rejecting the
league covenant and utterinS that re-
lection to our own people, and to the
world, we make no surrender of our
hope and aim for an association to
promote peace in which we would
most heartily join We wish it to be
peace, and wifi relinquish no effort to
bring the nations of the world into
such fellowship, not in the surrender
of national sovereignty, but rejoicing
in a nObler exercise of 1t in the ad-
vancement of human activities, amid
the compensations of peaceful
achievement.
In the national referendum to which
I have adverted, we pledged our eff
forts toward such association and the
pledge will be faithfully kept. In the
plight of policy and performance. we
told the American people we meant
to seek an early esta blishment of
peace. The United States alone among
the allied and associated powers con-
tinues in a technical state of war
against the central powers of Europe. |
This anomalous condition ought not
to be permitted to continue. To es-
tablish the state of technical peace
without further delay. I should ap-
prove a deelaratory resolution by con-
cross to that effect, With the eualifiea- i
's4qSII mo IIB 1o94oId OF IBEluesse suoIl