Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-08
WHY BUILD ANOTHER ROAD
WHEN THERE is ONE ALREADY?
This Is What the Believers in the Co.
operation OF the United States IN
Plans for World Peace Would
Like TO Know

l. President lIardngs rather indefinitely
expressed views about the relations of tho
| United States TO the rest of the world will
| be interpreted by his acts.
II is announced from Washington that he
| is soon 10 confer with the representatives
! of Great Britain, France and the other allied
! powers and that he will tell these gentlemen
| just what he thinks the United States can
! and should do.
In his inaugural address he said that
| we are ready to associate ourselves with the
| nations Of the world for conference and
! counsel and to seek the expressed views of
| world opinion and to recommend way to
approximate disarmament. He said also
that we elect TO participate in suggesting
plans for mediation. Cancellation and arb-
tration and ''would gladly join in that cx-
pressed conscience Of progress which seeks
to clarity and writo the laws of international
relationship and establish court for tho
disposition of such justiciablc questions as
nations are agreed to submit thereto
The allied nations-in fact. about all the
nations of the world, save the United States,
Germany. Russia. Turkey and MexiCo--have
entered into an association the express pur-
pose of which is ito promote international
60 operation and 70 achieve international
peace and SeCurity.' and they have pledged
themselves to further this end by the accept
ancc of obligations not to resort to war;
by the prescription of open. just and honor
able relations between nations: by the firm
establishment of the understandings of inter
national law as the actual rule of conduct
among governments. and by the maintenance
Of justice and scrupulouS respect for treaty
obligations.
The purpose which the President seems to
have in mind is apparently identical with
the purpose of the nations which have made
this agreement among themselves. Indeed,
he GAYS in his inaugural address that lin
expressing aspirations. in seeking practical
plans, in tranSplantng humanity'S $ new con
Cept of righteousness, justice and it's hatrcds
of war into recommended action we are ready
most heartily TO unite. BUT he insists that
what We do must be done without any sur
render OF our national sovereignty and he
expresses his opposition to "a world super
government as contrary to everything we
cherish. And he says also that we have
had n referendum on the questions Of super
seding nationality by internationally and
that th"rc ample discussion and there
is public mandate in manifest understand
ing
We arc unofhriaiIy informed from Wash
ington that the President will lay before
the representatives Of tho countries now in
the League Of Nations his plan for an as>o-
citation Of nations which will support an in
ternationaI court Of ju~t"" and that he will
ask their co operation in securing it, adop-
| tion. 1t will be- received with tn" respect
| which is its due. But until il has been dis
closed in detail comment must be withheld.
II is not difficult. however. to imagine
| what may be said Of it II it involves the ere
| alton of world association to SuperScdc the
League Of Nations That League. as We have
! already indicated. j. established to accom-
| pliSh tho ends which the President profcSScS
to desire. Its covenant arranges for arbi-
| traton of disputes and for the punishment
| Of nations which decline to submit questions
! al issue 10 arbitration.
The sam" coveuan; Grraugo> for the rs-
,ablishmcnt Of q clear understanding Of the
fundamentals of international law and the
nntion~ signing 1t agree to respect those
| Fundamentals.
And II provinces for the establishment Of
| an international court continually in session
before which all jnsticablc questions shall
! BE- taken for settlement when there is dis
agreement among the nations.
! l. docs not establish "A supcrgovcrnm"nr,
II i~ merely voluntary dissertation of
nations for tho preservation Of peace and
/ tor tho orderly establishment Of international
/ justice.
|, i, not a military alliance. Indeed. the
! French were dispeascd with it because il
did not establish an international army to
b" used for enforcing its decisions.
And thos" whose memories 60 as far back
| ~ iI" "Hr'y part Of 1919. when the first
draft "f the league convPuant was published.
( viii recall that Il was criticized even in the
| United States as n pretty weak sort Of II
I bulwark against war. Yet it was welcomed
~ step in the right direction. and the hope
/ vas expressed tnat after II wa> accepted by
tho nations ir might bo strengthened 50 ~
10 accomplish NOR" effectively what every
one desired
Groot Britain France, Ira,v and Japan.