New-York tribune., 1921-05-22
A Working Lacquer

In their comments on the speech
If Ambassador Harvey and his pre-
detion that the United States would
rot enter the League of Nations as
now constituted, The World and The
Tines make strenuous effort to
direct the minds of their readers
away from consideration Of the par
ticular matter which is most perti-
nent to present discussions of an old
topic. They discreetly avoid mention
of the circumstance that we live in
changing world and that a valid
argument of six months or year
ago may become invalid later.
Our neighbors stress the fact that
n the autumn thirty~one leading
republicans, including Mr.. Hughes
and Mr.. Hoover, joined in q state
ment which said that the league is.
sue was not between a league and
10 league, but whether certain pro-
visions in the proposed league agree
ment shall be accepted unchanged or
saan be changed" And, again, that
the policy they proposed was to call
on. other nations 'to agree to
changes in the proposed agreement, i"
with the understanding that if con
esded the United States would enter.
Oh the basis Of this The World
yociferonsly calls for either Mr..
Hughes or Mr.. Harvey to retire.
The zeal for quotation displayed
i lsudable. But it suddenly goes
dead. In prediction statements,
scquiesced in by the thirty-one Re
publicans, Mr.. Harding, calling at
tention to his two votes for ratifica-
ton and league entry, said that un-
der similar circumstances he would
do the same again; but he added
that he didn't know what conditions
would exist when he took Office and
hat his action would, of course, be
iaveW Of events as they happened.
Nov what is the outstanding fact
With respect TO the league developed
during the last six months? 1t is
that the league is conspicuously, no
toriously, not functioning except as
TO minute matters. There is up in
Eafope to-day question which Sc
foa8ly threatens war. Several ar
tcles in the leagues constitution
directly bear upon it--prescribe the
PROCEDURE to be followed. Is the
league machinery being used?
Il is not. Great Britain, France,
Poland and Italy are negotiating in
The old-fashioned way. The league
Is disregarded by the nations which
are the leading members of the
eagae's Council. a body called the
supreme Council, unknown to the
eague's constitution, is functioning
--ls to be the deciding body. Why
20 our contemporaries take no notice
Of the leagues reputation by it's
eRarter members?
Ar. Harding and Mr.. Lodge,
shen they voted to enter the
ieague, thought it might do good
night become to some degree an
elective instrument for peace main
eaanee. They wished to give the
ieague every chance. But Mr.. vii
son would not permit entry. He not
Oaly instructed his friends to vote
against ratification, but let it be
Known that he would pigeonhole the
treaty if the form of the ratification
qspleased him.
When Mr.. Wilson thus prevented
Entry no one could bind himself with
0aE regard to new conditions, to pre-
ass future action. AS Mr.. Lodge
ss'o IN regard to the Chicago plat
l0'ih; 'We approve of what has
ne ygsh done, but ~e promise nothing.
"aeh ne warned Mr.. Wilson that
! might XIII the treaty altogether,
: expressed not necessarily desire,
~ made merely prophesy.
iae only international concert
'0W possible is some sort Of new
ec'sOciatlon, or frank joining of the
~ apfe'ne Council. Mr.. Harvey is
~ aYerse to the latter. He has
sV4en with pride of the fact that
= = designated to sit in it. It is
icy rather ridiculous to assail him
- advocate of aloofness while
'0yfuiiy Journeys to and from
igs of the Supreme Council