The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-18
League of Nations and
It's Accomplishments
Discussed By DR.. Holt
Responsibility For Greco
Turkish War Rests With
the United States, Declares
Speaker

The League Of Nations. its organi-
cation, its operation and its physical
home at Geneva were described by
DIR. Hamilton Holt, former editor Of
the Independent and director of the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation, in an
address at the First Methodist church
Friday night, under the auspices of
the Modern Problems club of Bir-
mingham- Southern college.
The accomplishment OF the league
in promoting peace and furthering
progress, which DR. Holt declared
were its two purposes, were lucidly
outlined DR. Holt criticized severely
the policy of the United States in
holding aloof from the covenant and
in acts of non-co- operation which he
declared retarded or thwarted the
aims of the league, and resulted, in
one instance, in bringing about the
Greco Turkish war
The failure of the United States
to ratify the Saint German treaty,
prohibiting the shipment of arma-
ments into Turkey. Africa and the
Oceanic islands, DR.. Holt declared
was the ultimate cause of the re-
cent catastrophe in the Balkans,
Waited for United states
Other nations of the world waited
for two and half years on the
United States, he said; for the United
States to sign the pact, declaring that
they would ratify 1t when they had
assurance that the rest of the world
would do so. All the time, DR. Holt
said, arms were leaking, and after
some time, pouring. into the Ottoman
states.
DR.. Holt declared that the United
States was at least so per cent to
blame for the suffering and the
slaughter of Christians BY the Turks
Other nations, who held out. await
ing action by the United States were
responsible to the extent of the
other 20 per cent, he added.
DR.. Holt held his audience in tense
interest as he described in a few,
clear strokes the League of Nations
He spoke in short sentences and his
tone was cold. even and sincere.
Seldom did he raise his voice above
a moderate tone that was forceful
and convincing.
Definition of League
Or. Holt offered his definition of
the league. stating that he did not
believe it could be improved upon.
His definition was: The League of
Nations is nothing but scheme
whereby sovereign nations can act
unanimously better than they other
wise could Manifestly. he said, ma
tions can act unanimously without
League of Nations, just as states can
so act; but the league, he said, is
scheme whereby they can do this
Better than they otherwise could"
Sovereign" and Unanimous. DR..
Holt said. were the significant words
of the definition. He proceeded to
show that the sovereignty OF no ma
ton entering the covenant was in
any way jeepardized Were there
such a jeopardy. he said. republicans
in Congress would certainly have
bounced upon 1t and shown il to the
world. Moreover, he said IL such a
risk existed, advocates OF the league
in Congress could be, would be, and
should be, subject to Impeachment on
charges of treason.
Good Safeguard
Unanimous action, Dr. Holt said, is
necessary, except in two minor in
stances, before the League OF Ma
tons can act. This, he declared,
ought to be pretty good safeguard
against the league travelling at suf-
fcient rate of speed to make any OF
the conservative" nations dizzy.
DR.. Holt then told OF his recent
visit to the league in session at Ge-
neva, when he arrived on the day of
the opening of the third convocation
He said that, on the shore of the pic