Palisadian., 1923-03-09
LEAGUE OF NATIONS SCARE
CROW

The fear that the United States
might be led into the back door OF
the League of Nations was so great
that the last Congress in its closing
hours nearly had a conniption hit try
ing to get an expression against our
Joining in on the International Court
because it happens to have been one
of the creations of the League OF Ma
tions put into operation for the bene-
fit of stopping wars. if possible. IL
members of the League get into
sduabbles and war is talked of, the
belligerents agree to submit their
grievances to the International Court,
abiding by that bodys decision. In
simple language it is dollars to
doughnuts that any two nations plac-
ing their troubles before this inter-
national Court would see the final ad-
iustment come out clean and salts
factory to all concerned.
This, of course, is the only thing
that makes the League of Nations
worth anything at all. 1t was con-
ceived for the specific purpose of
keeping world peace. 1t had no other
object. Ii is at this time functioning,
and there has been no real chance OF
another war because of the League.
Now, in the League Constitution is
a clause to the effect that If two ma
tions cannot agree, and do not agree,
the other nations are bound to make
them agree, even if they have to use
force. This use of force as a possi-
bility is what has got the Lame Ducks
all scared out of their wits. The
League of Nations is the greatest or
ganization for world.peace ever un-
dertaken. Without the United States
in as a member, it is. of course, not
nearly as strong as it would be with
Uncle Sam in. Certainly not. The
United States is pretty nearly as
strong as all the rest of the world
put together, but we never want to
be put to the necessity of demonstrate
ing it. Yet we have practically al
ready shown this in the worlds war
so recently finished. We did not be-
gin to show the limits of our strength.
We called out 100000 men and sent
over only 100000. We could readily
have mustered in 100000 and still
had several millions in reserve at
home. Before we got into the war
half of Europe was calling America
a nation of towards. But that's an
old story America is not cowardly,
far from it. She handled herself most
admirably in the war, but got out of
it most ungraciously. She baked at
the most important time in the wars
history--the days of reconstruction,
when our help was needed more ur-
gently than at any other period. That
was really being cowardly, yet they
do not want to make it appear that
way. 1t is merely being cautious.
Ambassador Harvey said that Amer
lea went into the war to save her
own hide, which was not the truth,
but we are staying out of the League
for this reason and no other. Not
regarding it as a Dove of Peace, the
obstructionists have dubbed it a
scare scrow. And it has hurt this
country immeasurably. 1t has hurt
business everywhere which should be
running away with itself but isn't.
Reconstruction should have made
America buster than the war period.
1t hasn't.
How much consideration the com
ing Congress will give to the Inter
national Court is mere conjecture at
this time. Nobody in this country
wants war, and if they did who would
finance 1t? America is the only
country that could do it right, with
England able to do ii fairly well, but
neither one wants to do it at all.
And these two big guns would prob
ably decide any war at this time.
What the world needs is equilibrium.
1t is crossing the wire of trouble and
has no balance pole.