The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-04-13
Old Topic
Revived in
Washington
Senator Peppers Recantation
on League Of Nations Held
as Resurrecting Past
Issue.
Ireland Talks Of Joining
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

W dSnlnSlOn, 3Dih L. nc hc"
est thing in Washington today is
quite old. To anyone who tries to
reflect events in this capital there is
no impression more vivid than the
Vitality of the league of nations.
Every few weeks for three years past
1t has been buried. but always either
its friends resurrect it or its enemies
dig it up for the pleasure of renew
ing their memories of ancient battles
by giving it another kick.
But of this latter sort of thing
there has not been very much lately.
The enemies OF the league are rather
more apprehensive about it than they
used to be imm edately after the elec-
ton of 1920. The present resurrec-
ton of the league comes through its
friends. and it is a little more to the
front today than at any time for three
years past. Wherever Wilson demo-
Gratis come together they are jubilant.
A good many republicans are jubilant
also. The rest are sullenly deter
mined.
League Revivified.
It is not Senator Peppers partial
recantation alone that has brought
the league back. In addition to that
there is news that Ireland shortly is
going to join the league. There is
also the judgment of some thoughtful
persons that within a reasonable
length Of time the Ruhr dispute be-
tween France and Germany will be
put up to the league for settlement.
That would enhance the Importance
and vitality Of the league and would
probably be followed by Germany
joining II.
The unsophIsticated may think this
is a long distance from Washington,
but the irreconcilable American OPP
ponents of the league know that
much of the political capital they
were able to make out OF opposition
to the league was in their appeal to
the passions OF the Germans and Irish
voters. With Germany and Ireland
in the league, all that would disap-
pear.
Further than this. Washington is
every day more and more conscious
of the spread of church activity which
demands that our government take
affirmative steps toward the league
or some equivalent of II.
Senator Pepper Converted.
The partial recantation of Senator
Pepper is, next to that of Senator
Borah a few months ago. the most
serious detection the "irreconcilables
and .'isolationists" have suffered.
tual leaders of the isolation policy
during the league fight Of two and
three years ago. Pepper was the head
Of the antileague organization. which
called itself by some such name as
the society for the preservation Of
American independence.
Both Borah and Pepper have gone
through the same evolution about the
league and essentially neither Of them
is inconsistent. Both believed ar
IDENTIFY in d league of the right kind.
Both thought the element of force I'm
the league as Wilson made it. was
1 deeply dangerous. Both felt the first
apd indispensable job was to beat the
wrong kind of league and beat II so
that everyone could understand the
element of force in it was dead. Pep.
per now announces that II the league
will reorganlze itself so as to omit
the element Of coercive force and re-
move the other obstacles the United
States should join It.
Hoover Talk Significant.
BY implication, at least, Senator
Pepper gives the idea that he favors
the permanent court Of international
justice. incidentally. Mr.. Hoover's
speech at Des Moines last night was
The first formal declaration ON the
part OF cabinet officer since Hard
ing made the proposal. Everybody
knows that Mr.. Hoover saw the pres
ident before he made this speech and
took II for granted that he made the
president acquainted with what he was
going 10 say.
Mr. Hoover's speech was a thorough.
going endorsement of our joining the
court. At the same time. in being
mainly explanatory. he made it clear
how really small step, how utter
unattended by any serious commit
ment this proposal, standing alone, is
II is," he said. "the minimum pos
sible step In eliminating causes OF