Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-28

don IL and transfer their names TO |
an ASSOCIATION of nations. If we want |
to go into this kind OF proposition. |
there is no rea son why we should not |
experiment with the one they have. |
1T is claimed by the advocates of
the League that the present League
has been of much service 10 Europe
If so. there Is no reason for asking
Europe 10 scrap the old League and
try a new one. II we are going into
Europe, we ought TO go in. II we ara
not, we ought not 70 be handing her \
new league every ninety days. She will
likely conclude that after the next
Presidential election she would have
another league. see no difference
whatever in joining the present
League and Joining another league by
a new name.
THE United States operates under a
written constitution. Great Britain has
no written constitution. One of the ar
guments being put forth now in favor
of the Association of Nations is that
Mr.. Wilson made a mistake in giving
his plan a written constitution. that
we should adopt the British idea and
undertake TO conduct the League or
an association of nations without any
written constitution or written COW
enant whatsoeer; in other words, that
the new association will consist OF
representatives OF different Govern
ments coming together with no limi-
tation upon their Jurisdiction or pow
er or authority other than their own
discretion.
Would Prefer League of Nations.
"A concIave of diplomats, sitting be-
hind closed doors with nothing 10 di-
rect or limit their powers save their
own will and discretion, would be a
rather interesting proposition. I am
inclined to think that if the American
people choose a league, they will
choose one which has its powers
defined, or at least an attempt to
define them, rather than trust their
destiny to the unbridled discretion
of few men.
Lloyd George suggested some time
ago, according to the press dispatches
that the Anglo-Japanese alliance be eX-
| tended to an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ese alliance and that this alliance take
upon itself the duty of administering
China. Now it Is said that such an
alliance would be wholly Objectionable
to the American people. but that un-
der an association of nations the same
thing could be effectuated and accom-
plished.
1T is also being urged that while
! the people of the United States would
not be willing TO form an alliance with
France and Great Britain TO guarantee
the security of France, the same thing
could be accomplished under>an asso-
citation of nations without any consti.
tuition.
ut is also urged that the interna.
tional debt could be more successfully
manipulated through the association
"All of which things simply disclose
that the association of nations is an.
other name for the League, with som,
additional and more extensive power.
annexed.
1T ~does not appear as yet whether
we are to hove two leagues. or on,
league and one association, or wheth.
er II is to be that the league organized
by Mr.. Wilson will be merged INTO tbs
association organized by Presiden
Harding. 1t win be very difficult to ge
rid of the present League unless tn,
Versailles Treaty is radically modified
but l presume we viii know NOR,
when the matter is reduced TO such
concrete form as will enable us {,
grasp 1t or least TO try to do So"
Insist Senate Must Have Hand,
When asked tonight If he though
that the Senate would have an oppor
tunity to express itself upon the new
International plan, Senator Boral
said
"Of course. there is no way to bind
this Government to any association OF
league o. nations except in the man
ner pointed out in the Constitution
that Is by treaty. The Executive De.