Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-02
THE LEAGUE AND WAR PREVENTION.

The League of Nations has actually prevented
three wars between three separate pairs Of lesser
European states. What the result Of any Of these
wars might have been may be imagined, though not
estimated with any degree Of certainty. It may be
recalled, however, that out of an act of aggression
on Austria by one Of the very minor states Of Eu-
rope there developed the greatest war of history.
That war cost the United States a bill of some
twenty-five billion dollars, with the prospect OF sew
eral billion to be added as compensation to Ameri-
cans who participated in it and survived. It dis
rupted the entire economic system of this country,
with resultant losses which no man can estimate.
These are among the conspicuous pecuniary effects
OF the war to the United States alone. The toll of
dead and wounded represents a loss which cannot
be stated in figures. And the United States is the
most fortunate Of all the countries in the world in
the %lightness with which the injuries ofAhat war
fell upon us. And it grew from something about
the size of a mustard seed away down in southeast
ern Europe. 1t seems, therefore, that the occasion
q prevention OF a war, even a little one, may be
worth while, and that it is something in which
Americans may be interested.
In the three cases mentioned, Sweden Finland,
Poland-Lithuania and Observation-Disclosures, war
was imminent. Military action had either been
taken OF was certain to come within a few weeks.
The League of Nations summoned the disputarrts
to conference, and in two of the three cases the
awards made were accepted and the cases are set
tied. In the third case ultimate settlement has not
been reached, but the peace has been maintained
until the present time, with good prospects for final
a. pCdCClu1 SeCCle1ncnC. ---4. 80 -a%+-<E |-A
We have i'll these three cases concrete exam
Piles OF the influence of the League. Who can tell
how far that influence has reached in cthe. cases
which did not present such well-defned features?
What would have happened in the Rhine val
ley IS there had been no League Of Nations? II, is
no libel on France to say that she has her militaris-
tic faction, and the fact does not diferentiate her
in any way frorn other nations. There is such 1
faction in every important country, and France is
no exception. League or no league there would
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nations might have done, France would have insist.
cd, TOR her own safety. on guarantees from Germany
winch would make her secure against further Ger
man aggression. She would have insisted on terms
& # least as stringent as those which were actually
exaeted. Would Germany have been more. prompt
in meeting her obligations if France had been 3un-
supported by the moral force of All international
compact! And, in case of the defa1cations which
Fl would have been certain, would France have been
more tolerant than she has been
s French ambition, French militafisrn. and the
demand Of peaceful France for security would, for
HE time being, have hld a common object. to crush
SMsgseakened Germany into absolute. and permanent
ginpottnce.E.Th Rhineland would have been over
many q could not have been brought under French
iMnfipesie would have made common cause Win
sa Nu111ian Bolsheyisri. Who knows what TIE nat e
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aaNl&NfS have done for France? The world would
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