The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-30
CREATING A DILEMMA.

4Hc hOu-hSmDSTSnip OI Lnc OnlIeu States in the League of Nations is grad ually becoming more and more embar- rassing. We sit and watch the leading nations of the world decide questions of world import, potentially affectingrus in future international relationships, and yet we have no official or formal part In these decisions. In one respect the pro- tocol adopted by the league council re- garding the arbitration of war-breeding disputes between nations contains the seeds of dilemma for the United StateA The protocol provides that nations not members of the league shall be invited to arbitrate disputes leading to war, and that if they shall not submit to arbitra- ton they shall be subject to the, sanctions made and provided. Now sanction is but a diplomatic word which means penalty.
 The dilemma would be that, while our submission to arbitration would have the appearance of coercion with the threat of sanctions or penalties in the back ground, our refusal to arbitrate would be to violate our own professions of adher- ence to- the policy of arbitration as a preventive of war. Thus our delay in joining the league has put us in a very l. l.lcomfortable position. To be sure, there is evidence of t he warmest friend ship for, the United States among the league membership, and there is no hint that the protocol is in any manner direct that this nation would ever become in volved in a war the causes of which could lend themselves to negotiation. Never theless, although our eventual entry into the league is almost certain, it is unfor- tunate that we are not taking an official part in the, formulaton of the fundamen- tai policies of the league.
 There are two nations in the league which are not entirely in harmony with the peace provisions. One of these is Japan, which seeks some general stipu- Iation under which the United States would have to submit to the league court the question of racial exclusion. We would not consent to submit such a ques- sion, and doubtless the powers realize ;his, and realize further that they would De unnecessarily and perhaps dangerous y curtailing their own autonomy by con- ;enting to Japan's insistence. Even if such a question should come before the league court, undoubtedly a nations right to control it's national and racial admixtures would be held as entirely within it's province.
 The other nation, not yet member of he league, but already seeking to protest ,ne feature of the peace plan, is Ger many. There is well-defined impress sion at Geneva that Germany will pro- est against the crossing of her territory ,y armed troops cooperating to halt an aggressor against a league member or eague arbitration settlement. It is thought that Germany's protest will not ,e granted. Germany was willing enough ,o violate neutrality in furtherance of ger own schemes, but she would resist even peaceful traverse of her territoy by .roops sent to preserve peace and not to promote war.
 On the whole, this promotion of plan to enforce peace is like handling dynamite. Only the most intelligent dis :ussion and agreement can forestan the of fears and prejudices, espe- ,ially in Europe already in state of un- stable political equilibrium. There is evil aence that the league is not content to be a mere counsellor of peace. The eague means to apply sanctions, that is to say, penalties for infraction of peace Such sanctions may take the form of embargoes and commercial blockades. It is hardly to be expected that the league would assemble armies to enforce decrees.
 The contrary Is rather true, that the league will seek by disarmament agree ments to make wars impossible without long periods of preparation during which peaceful settlements would be likely to prevail. A definite program of disarma- ment is being prepared, and conference on the subject, to which the Unite States is invited to be officially present, will take place some time within the next twelve months. Inasmuch as the rest of the nations accepted our invitation to such a conference, it would not be fit ting for us not to return the visit. At such a conference we would be able to make agreements without prejudice of our non-membership in the league.
 THE DELTA AMENDMENT.
 AL-.L HI E,f