The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-06-30

tons between nations, by the first
establishment Of understanding
of international law as actual rule
Of conduct among governments,
by the maintenance of justice
and scrupulous respect for all
treaty obligations in dealings Of
organized peoples with one an
other, agree to this covenant Of
the League Of Nations"
A speaker who took part recently
in a university debate on the sub
ject told me that the undergraduates
exhibited the greatest surprise when
he informed them that the League
Of Nations was founded by the Yer
sailles Treaty. A few days ago l had
similar experience at the oxford
Union. I was speaking against a mo-
ton framed to condemn the principles
of the treaty as unwise and unjust.
In it's defense / recalled some of its
outstanding features. But as most
of my narrative had no bearing on
PREPARATIONS. it was greeted with i'm
patience and cries of question" from
a group of anti-Versaillists.
kuEOhStSlCnt
| They honestly thought I was
travelling outside the motion in giving
a short summary of other sections of
the treaty. To them it is all con-
densed in Mr.. Keynes book and other
hostile commentaries. Anything which
is inconsistent with these, or supple
rnents the scanty or misleading state
ments they make, is deemed to be
tainted and biased. To refer to the
text itself they regard as unfair and
rs playing into the hands Of the de-
tenders Of a wicked and oppressive
pact. The actual treaty has been
already put by them out Of bounds,
and you wander into It's forbidden
clauses on pain of being put into the
guard room by one or other Of the
intolerant factions who patrol the
highways and byways of international
politics.
IN all debates on the subject in the
House of Commons I have only once
heard the treaty itself quoted by a
critic, and, strangely enough, that
was by way of approval.
Take another large and important
section which is completely ignored
by the critic-that which reconstructs.
Central Europe on a basis Of ma
tionality and free choice of people in
stead Of on a basis Of strategy and
military convenience. This is the
section that liberated Poland from the
claws Of three carn1vorous empires
that were preying on its vitals and
restored it to life, liberty and indie
pendence. 1t Is a section that frees
the Danes Of Schleswig and the
Frenchman Of Alsace-Lorraine For
these oppressed provinces the Treaty
Of Versailles is the title deed Of free
dom. Why are these clauses all
suppressed in controversial literature?
ere is another of the ignored pro
v-sions-that which sets up permanent
machinery for dealing with labor
problems throughout the world and
for raising the standard of life
amongst the industrial workers by
means of a great international effort.
No more benef1cent or more fruitful
provision was ever made In any
treaty. 1t is so momentous, and so
completely overlooked in general dis
cussion, that I think it worth while
quoting at length the general prin-
ciples laid down by provision which
will one day be claimed as the first
great international charter of the
worker.
1.-The high contracting parties
recognize that differences of climate
habits and customs of economic
opportunity and industrial tradi
ton. make strict uniformity in con-
ditions of labor difficult of i'm
mediate attainment. But, hold
ing, as they do, that labor should
not be regarded merely as an ar
ticle OF commerce, they think that