The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-27

Wednesday The Times published a
startling interview with Ralph Blumen-
field, editor of the London Express, now
in this country, The interview, which
assailed the present League of Nations
and suggested a new to take its
place, has stirred much discussion. Be
low are the views of General Tasker ii.
Bliss former chief Of staff of the United
States army, member of the supreme
war council in France during the world
war and later member of the American
commission to negotiate peace.
BY General TaSker Howard Bliss
In an interview at Colorado
Springs, given to the Scripps- How
ard Press, Mr.. Blumenfeld, editor
u the London Express and head of
the British journalistic mission now
in the United States, severely criti-
ciseS the present league of nations
as being hopelesSly ineffective and
a danger to international relations
He says, "the idea of the league
of nations is beautiful magnificent,
and idealistic, but to achieve a real
league of nations you first must
eliminate the human factor, which
implies human passions, jealousies,
false pride, and ambitions"
BY no possibility can the influence
of the human factor, now or ever,
be elirsSSated from any association
of human beings. Of that fact the
present league takes due note. In
some respects it might be compared
to a great financial institution in
which many investors, large and
small, have taken stock.
Large Ones Decide Policy
The great powers are the large,
the minor powers are the small in
vestorS. In the financial institution,
just as Mr.. Blumenfeld says is the
case with the league, the small in
vestors may Clutter up, cucumber,
balk, obstruct and defer the poll
cies" which the large investors
should decide, with resultant dis
cussion, argument, delay and lack
of unanimity"
But in both cases we notice that
in the long run it is the large in
vestors who decide the questions Of
general policy. And in both cases
this is accomplished by frank rec
ignition of the existence of the in
eradicable human factor.
And it is accomplished not by re-
fusing the smaller investors their
proper share of influence, but by
giving them a free voice in discus
sion and argument and a vote pro-
portioned to their amount of stock
in the concern. Mr.. Blumenfeld as
sUneS great ignorance on the part Of
the American public when he. says
that in any matter of essential pol
icy "the votes of Liberia, Nicaragua,
etc, are just as potent as the votes
of France or Great Britain"
But how does he propose to rid the
League Of Nations of the human
factor"-human passions, jealousies,
false pride, ambitions, intrigues
growing out of self-intrerest, long
discussions, delay, ETC.? He pro-
poses a new league, to consist solely
of six great powers now in the pres
ant one.
Human Factor Prevails
Does he honestly believe that
these six powers have not exhibited
to the full the influence of the
human factor in the functioning of
the present league? Does he SUPP
pose that they will exhibit it any
less in his new league than in the
present one?
He proposes a new league which
frankly shall ignore all nations ex-
cept Great Britain, the United
States, France, Italy, Germany and
Japan. But even in this smaller
league there are to be larger and
smaller powesr, and it plainly is
his idea that it shall be dominated
by hard and fast union between
Great Britain and the United States.
When Mr.. Blumfeld gave his in
terview, he doubtless knew that
a great number of Americans have
an antipathy not so much to the
present league as to American par
ticipation in it. Not merely many
but all Americans will have a
greater antipathy to his proposed
substitute.
Americans want a league for
peace and not for war, a league that
permits and helps the achievement
of the destiny of small as well as
of strong states.