The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-03-18
U. S. RIGHT IN
REFUSING ARTICLE X
All Who Signed This Ar
ticle Were Wrong,
Says Viviani.
(By stephane Lauzanne.l


France: II do not know whether Am
erica will ever take part in any league
but know that she will never accept
anything like Article x"
America will be quite right" re-
piled NJ. Viviani. No nation can
honestly pledge itself to Article x"
looked at the great orator with
surprise. He had Just returned from
Geneva, where he was the outstanding
figure in the first meeting of the
League of Nations assembly. Repre-
senting France, he obtained veri-
table triumph there. l also knew
that no other French statesman re-
GREETED more than he does Americas
absence. And now, with one word,
he himself justified Americas re-
fusal. "The heart of the league
no longer beats with life. Overex-
ertion killed it.
Promised An ImpossibiIity.
yes, continued NJ. viviani, Am
erica is right and we, all of us, who
have signed this article were wrong.
AS for me, there is one thing loathe
more than anything else in the world,
and that is to make promise one
knows one can not keep. Now, all
the members of the league when sign
ing Article X made a promise which
they are well aware they can not
keep.
"Article X meant that If tomorrow
China or Bolivia were attacked all the
members of the league, even the most
distant ones, Are under the obliga-
ton of coming to defend Bolivia of
China. No consideration is taken of
the geographical latitude, space, dis
lance OF material or moral issues in
volved. Ipso facto, we were to guar
antee, to preserve. TO respect what
exists.
How can one believe that such an
agreement can be kept? Have not
the facts already clearly shown that
1t could not be kept? Poland was
attacked last summer and with the
exception of France, who were those
who came forward to maintain
against all outside aggression the ter
ritorial integrity of Poland? Rumania
may perhaps be attacked next spring
by the very same enemy as Poland,
and who are those who are ready to
come to defend Rumania against the
Bolshevist invasion.
Can't Aid Armenia.
armenia was on the verge of be-
coming a member of the League of
Nations But at present this unhap-
py country is invaded, covered with
bloodshed, crucified. 1t calls for
help! We Europeans have neither
the courage nor the strength to go
and save her. Does one truly believe
in all good faith, that what the Eu-
ropean nations can not accomplish
America or Asia will?'
"Then,'" said 1, you, to, agree that
one must not count on any League of
Nations whatsoever to prevent all
wars?"
81 have always implored those with
whom l acted in important matters
not to believe in dreams. We must
work on earth and not in the clouds.
There is no league or association of
nations which can prevent all wars;
but there are leagues or associations
which may be able to prevent certain
wars. Look out in the street-irri-
table people pass each other going
to and fro; they often feel like at
lacking people; they control them
selves because education holds them
in check. A certain moral force, pub
lie opinion, is stronger than the i'm
pulse or desire to fight. Well. it is
just the same in the world. Educate
the nations, submit them to a moral
force and you will make wars fewer
The more democratic the world be-
comes, the less II will want to fight"
Can Not Abolish Wars.
There will always remain I re-
piled, "ruffians who care nothing for
right and fear only the gendarmes.
Evidently said viviani, "and just
as one can not abolish ruffians one
can not abolish wars. but they can
be made uncommon and perhaps con-
fined to smaller area il We can make
governments cooperate in promoting
liberty under the law with few
simple. fixed rules OF right and wrong
in international conduct and leaving
each nation otherwise free to work
out its own destiny"