, 1925-01-30
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Copyright, 1925. Consolidated Press
A~ssociation.)
WARRINGTON. Jan. 3o.-The
Idea advanced recently by Colonel
| House that America become an as
ISOLATE member of the League oil
| Nations. participating in Its confer
\ ences but agreeing to Its commit
ments only on considering the merits
OF each convention or treaty. has
| bobbed up anew With the plan APP
proved by the American commission
ers to the opium conference at Gen
eva.
Machinery had to be devised to se-
cure the appointment OF a body to
supervise narcotics n Just as jur-
lists who were forming the world
court turned to the council of the
League Of Nations, SO the delegates
| to the opium conference have done
likewise. but with ono significant
| change, namely that the appointing
power be vested in the United
states and the council of the league
This is an Improvement based on
tho experience with the world pro
tocol and may be, IN the end, ia
means OF amending the protocol IT.
self SO as to insure American par
ticipaticn. 2
Far from being regarded as an
| evasion by the United States of its
responsibilities. there is beginning
to be a realization abroad that the
system of government in Washing
ton which requires ratification by
two thirds OF the senate of all inter
national agreements Of a binding
| character makes It necessary TO deal
with the United States as a special
case.
The Willingness Of the Geneva
delegates to tho opium conference
| to recognize this as a sequel to the
| controversy of the last six years
over American membership in the
| League Of Nations. Mr.. Coolidge
| has followed President Harding in
| stating emphaticaIly that the Unit
| ed States will not accept the pres
| ent covenant OF the League Of Ma
tons. And the League hasn't modi-
| fled It's covenant to meet the ob1ec-
lions Of the Republican party now
In power. Indeed. the chances are
| that the amendment of the coven-
ant in any particular is going to be
a difficult process and that the came
end may be achieved by having the
United States as an informal asso,
ciate OF the league.
It is the influence of tho United
States in world conference rather
| than any specific treaty relationship
| that is mostly desired, by the league.
| though many Americans who favor
the league hope informal participa-
| tlon ultimately will mean full fledg-
cd membership by the United
States.
The practical question however. Is
hqw 10. bring American influence to
bear under the circumstances that
exist today. The United States has
In recent months shown a disnosl-
tion to relate itself to league activi-
ties. sending commissioners and min
listers TO sit In conferences called by
the league and already President
Coolidge and Secretary Hughes have
agreed to accept n league Invitation
to cit in a conference TO consider
reduction In armament.
All during the war the European
powers consented o the use OF the
phrase THE Allied and Associated
Powers" with the knowledge that
the United States was an "~assocI-
atc.' Something OF the sort has been
devised by the opium conference to
insure American cooperation.
Some OF the Geneva dispatches
would to indicate that the new
plan might be the formula for all
contacts between the league and
the United States. but opinion here
In official quarters does not agree
with such a View Rather It is be-
loved that each case will stand-on
It's W bottom and that while the
formula. used with respect &c the
opium board may be applied in other
International actions involving the