, 1923-09-15
Unmasking the League

of the League of Nations. There have been from
time to time partial exposures of its purposes
and methods, but this is the first time 1t has
been made perfectly clear that the league is i'm
potent to settle anything unless 1t uses force.
And where it is afraid or unable TO do that
as it was in the latest instance it has no more
power and authority than any other debating 50
ciety which meets and passes resolutions.
Until the present, the league advocates in this
country have pretended that the league was an
instrument of peaceful methods to accomplish
it's end by moral suasion. They have violently
protested that il did not mean or contemplate
the use of physical force to compel obedience to
it's wishes. Lord Robert Cecil, on his recent tour
of this country. repeatedly stated that the league
did not stand for force and pooh 'poohed the idea
that If America should Join the league we would
be called upon to contribute manpower and ma.
val power to settle differences in which we had
no direct interest.
These representations were false. The league
p~artisans in Europe and this country now admit
they were false. Both in Europe and in America
lea que advocates deplore the fact that the league
was unable to coerce Italy into submission be-
cause the United States was not a member OF II.
This all meant but one thing-that the fifty
two nations which are members OF the league
were unwilling or unable to furnish manpower
or naval power to coerce Italy. The smaller ma
lions were unable to do SO, because they did not
have military and naval forces of sufficient
strength to be a factor. The larger nations, like
Great Britain, were unwilling to do so because
they know to attempt IL would mean war between
themselves and Italy. Hence. their regret that
the United States is not n member OF the league
in order that she might be directed nv the league
to do the coercing at the expense of the lives of
our manhood.
Only two reasons have ever existed for the de
sire of Europe that this country join the league
Of nations. One was that we would thereby he
compelled Mt the order Of the league to furnish
military and naval forces to coerce any country
which the selfish md ambitious nations of Flu.
rope wanted disciplined and the other was that
we should furnish the money with which to H.
nance bankrupt and spend.thrift nations of Eu-
rope in their territorial and commercial ambi-
lions.
The nations IN Europe which desired that
ITALY should be coerced did not do so from anv
friendship for Greece. or because they possessed
any loft. ideas and ideals regarding world peace.
Their outcrv was due primarily to the fact that
in Italv's attitude they saw n challenge to their
own ambitions for power. trade and TERRITORY.
Hence their regret that the United States was
not a member Of the league In order that she
might he ordered to use her military and naval
forces to pull their chestnuts out Of the fire.
If the American people want to know what
would have happened II the United States were
in the league. let them visualize the situation
MS It presented itself. and then ask themselves
whether or not they would he willing at this time
To send their boys to the Mediterranean to coerce
italy.
And let them ask themselves that n next week
or next month. the ambitious. dominating power
Of Europe decided that Greco or Turkey or some
other country needs coercion. they would be
willing to send their hovs TO some other section
NJ Eurone and snend American money tn settle
European ouarrels to which This country was
not n partv and in which neither It's honor nor
its interests were involved?
It was argued in some quarters that coercion
would not take the form of military and naval
operations, but would take the form of an eco
nomic boycott against the offending nations by
the members of the league. As applied to the re-
cent affair II would mean all members would
economically boycott Italy-cease trading with
her.
Again let the American people visualize the
situation. The United States has o quarrel with
Italy, yet we would be compelled to stop trading
with her. Last year we purchased from Italy
goods in the sum of $S3, 900, 900 and sold to Italy
goods in the sum of SITS, 10000. Were we a
member of the league and a boycott were ordered
we would be compelled under the conditions of
our membership to break friendly relations with
italy, stop sale of goods TO her md purchase of
goods from her, destroy the friendship that has
existed between our respective countries since
the United States became a nation, and involve
ourselves inextricably in the political quarrels
of Europe. That is exactly what our member
ship In the league would mean.
If the league OF nations il not able to use the
club OF economic boycott or the use OF physical
force TO compel Obedience to its decisions, then 1t
is absolutely useless. For the purpose OF deceiy.
ing the American people and attempting TO be-
guile this country mo joining the league, this
fact has been strenuously denied up until tho
last thirty dnys.
EO ~ 10 PubheAJ IL AhS uCdIL VI luc
covenant OF the league owes its vitality TO the
use OF armed force 10 compel obedience to the
leagues decisions. In the last thirty days the
league has officially admitted this by having "a
commission outline a program for the creation
OF u so-called international police force which
should be subject to the order of the league in
order to physically coerce any nation which dis
obeyed the DEGREES of the league.
This force would be recruited from the man
hood of the nations belonging to the league in
whatever proportion the league decided. It
would be subject to orders of the league and IL
would be commanded by an officer appointed by
the league. 1t would be called upon TO go to any