Evening star., 1924-12-01
VITAL THEMES
The Geneva Protocol.
BY CEN. HENRY r. Allen.

II is not to our advantage that
nearly all the nations of the earth
should discuss world affairs without
consulting or eonferring with us.
Within or without the league. with
or without our signature 10 the
protocol, our country cannot make
war without having submitted it's
case to arbitration. unless it be pre-
pared as an aggressor TO combat
all other member nations.
If the sublime motives embraced
In the protocol be realized q new
era opens for. mankind under
maxima charta compelling peace
upon the world. 1t will thus be
easier for the United States to enter
than to remain outside.
The plain truth Is that the PEI
manent conference sitting at Geneva
erroneouSly called by It's antagonists
a super state, is simply an organ of
agreement. 1t is fast becoming the
clearing house Of mans greatest ac-
tivities. The United States has par
tfcipated in It's work in connection
with the opium traffic, in combating
the spread of disease and in stop
ing barter of women and children.
Furthermore. we have been deeply
interested in such acts as the resto-
ration of Austria and Hungary with
nut participation in them. In ii word
we are willing to cooperate in it's
so-calied humane activities. while
ignoring the fact that cooperation
to prevent the scourage of war, which
destroys man and blasts his civfli-
cation. would be the greatest of all
humane acts.
The three great subjects-compul-
sorry arbitration. security and dis
armement--have been linked together
at Geneva. Disarma ment depends
upon security and security upon arbi-
trati"n. The United States has heen
disposed TO give precedence to dis
armament over security and in this has
found sympathetic thoughts in the
British Empire and the Scandinavian
countries, but states on the bound
aries of Russia are not willing to dis
arm until security is assured. The
same may be said of France and
Czechoslobakia in their relations to
Germany. The representatives of "a
nations have nevertheless reached unan-
imous agreements.
The commission OF IL most dis
tinguished members, headed by Dr.
Benes Of CZechosiavia, has drawn
up a protocol TO serve as the basis
of the conference on reduction of
armaments to sit in Geneva in June
1925. This protocol becomes in fact
a treaty between the powers which
sign II. Under its terms any nation
refusing arbitration becomes an ag-
greSsor. in accordance with the
American plan tShotwe1l-BliSs) and
the other nations are then to bring
pressure-economic, social or mill
tary-against the aggressor to COM
pei him to submit to arbitration.
War is to be permitted only for
the purpose of compelling aggressor
nations to observe peace. The United
states has not been invited to sign
the protocol. but 1t will be invited
to participate in the disarmament
conference. The protocol is indorsed
by a world conference, not d Euro
pean institution. some would
make believe, including practically
all Asiatic. South American and
African states as well as European.
Whether or not we participate in
the league or in the protocol, which
bears about the same relation to the
league as does the International
Court. is beside the question. The
league goes on and the absent are
wrong. Our interests may be hest
subserved from within. rather than
from without. There has been no
effort, directly or Indirectly, not
withstanding contrary statements. to
compel the United States by the Gre
alton of the protocol to become a
league member. Arbitration and dis
armament are fundamentally Amer
'ran, and our interests are at stake.
tCopyr:gnt 1924