Evening star., 1924-10-15

American editorial comment on the
recently adopted protocol of the
League of Nations divides generally
along the old lines Of difference over
the league itself. Champions Of the
league idea greet as long step to-
ward ending war the protocol, de-
signed to establish compulsory arbi-
tration through world wide peace
conference to be held next June. OPP
ponents find nothing to please and
most of them see in the protocol fur
ther evidence of the wisdom of the
United States in remaining aloof. TAX
ing first the unfavorable criticism. we
find the New York Herald-Tribune
(Republican) declaring:
1T is this arbitrary power OF inter-
vention which makes it potential
threat to the United States. This
country might be willing to submit
disputes to genuine world court of
arbitration, but not to the more linn
tied league court. In trying to SUBJ
ject all nations to its operations the
league is clearly promoting war as
well as promoting peace. For that
reason the protocol must count for
the present more as gesture than as
an achievement
Undoubtedly" says the Chicago
Daily News Independently, "the orig
inal intention of the committee that
drafted the protocol was to make war
practically impossible. That intention
commanded universal sympathy. AS
amended at the instance of japan,
however, the protocol appears to con-
template and Justify war on a nation
which in certain circumstances mere
ly exercises its sovereign rights in
accordance with settled international
law. Surely it is absurd to brand
such conduct as provocative, and 1t is
equally absurd to permit one nation
to dictate to another in matters of do
mestic legislation and to wage war II
the dictation is resented or simply
ignored" This, the ST. Paul Dispatch
independently, claims, reduces the
whole protocol to absurdity."' If
through such means the league be-
comes a superstate, the Portland Ex-
press 1Republican) maintains, there
would be danger of the league becom-
ing a menacing power against nom
members that refused to surrender
their domestic rights. and the theoret-
document, might cause the breaking
out of a new world war"
+ + x
AS a whole, the Philadelphia Bull
letin independent Republican, finds
"the protocol logical development
Of the most Objectionable features Of
the covenant, those features that
caused American distrust and in
spired the American reservations" 4"
In the circumstances, the Springfield
Union (Republican) thinks ut is for
tunate that we have had our Defense
day test" AS the Boston Transcript
views 1t: '"The United States has not
the slightest objection to the league
members subjecting themselves and
even their domstic legislation to COM
pulsory and unrestricted arbitration.
Neither must the league nor any of
its members object to the American
/ people Withholding themselves from
| that system and insisting that they
| themselves shall be the sole makers
| of their domestic laws and the sole
| judges Of what interests Of the
United States they will or will not
submit to arbitration. Only If ami
mated by such q spirit can this latest
| act Of the League Of Nations prove
| to be truly q protocol of peace" q.
From such . consistent advocate Of
| the league AZ the New York World
| comes the confident assurance that,
far from being a danger To the Unit