Evening star., 1923-07-27
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
BY Cable to The Star.

BY Cable to The Star.
GENEVA, July 27.-"The league OF
| nations Is dead. long live the league"
This slogan might well be applied to
the life Of the society OF nations, as
the Europeans call 1T. For here. at
the seat of it's administration, along
side the peaceful waters of Lake
Geneva, abides living organism
which is neither the superstate its
| opponents think it to be. nor yet the
great international conciliatorS It's
friends hope some day to make it.
Any one who comes to Geneva. as
do scores Of senators and repre- senta-
tives from the United States. with
preconoeived notions as to what the
league is or should be, can depart
with those same ideas IL ne likes, be-
| cause externally the league. with its
two modest old buildings, is not more
| impressive than the average govern
ment Office elsewhere, but its in
ternal mechanism. it's far-reaching
influence and it's incessant work for
the Improvement of international re-
casual visitor. This requires, first of
all. an impartial as well as studious
attitude.
Defects Are Admitted
Men at work in the leagues of
hces are first to admit many of the
leagues defects. They are as sensi-
tive to fear of super-state de-
yelopment and as ready to thwart
such growth as the critics out
side. They are not boastful of its
| accomplishments. They are simply
| crusaders for a larger objective-the
betterment of mankind through a
closer understanding and free inter
course.
In talking to these men the writer
asked several questions typical OF
what many people in the United
States were asking about the league
why did not the league prevent or
at least settle the controversy over
the occupation of the Ruhr?
Have there not been a number OF
/ little wars" in Europe since 1913
| including. of course, the Turco-
Greek war?
What has the league accomplished
that could not have been accom-.
| plished by international commissions
! or diplomacy?
Lacks Power to Coerce
The replies given were frank
| First of all, the Ruhr affords a better
! insight into why the league is not a
| superstate than anything that could
nave happened. II the league had
| had the power to order troops of one
! nation TO settle a dispute between
! other nations this military force
would long ago have been in evil
! dence. The league has not, however
any more authority than the member
governments wish to give it,
In the case of the Ruhr the French
| took the position that the treaty OF
Versailles gave them the right to en-
ter the Ruhr. Even Great Britain ad
mitted the legal right of the French
/ to collect reparations by this method
| So how could the league reprimand
| a nation for attempting to carry ou,
| the provisions of a solemn treaty.
J But 1t VIII he said that the league
! might have interviewed anyhow, and
/ used its influence. Here again the
! American conception of the league
! differs from the European. The yer,
| use of the word society" of nation.
! as over here. contrasted with Tho
! league of nations, is enough to Civ,
| a hint of the difference of view
! points.
| Works for Future Pence,
The league members may bring tc
| the attention of the league a seriou.
situation, but there is no authorit,
| that can compel government n
| abandon its enterprise in the Ruhr
/ for instance, If 1t does not choose I,
| do so. In other words. the leapu.
| really, in it's every day operation. |:
simply an international clearing hous,