The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-25
A New League of Nations?

"A New League OF NaL1OnS!
Shall the present League of Nations be Scrapped
and new one set up in its place. with all the little
nations left out?
This novel question has been suggested by Ralph
D. Blumenfed, distinguished editor of the powerful
London Daily Express and head of the British jour-
nalstic mission now visiting America under auspices
Of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The present league Editor Blumenfeld believes,
is just overgrown debating society, breeding the
very dangers it is supposed to suppress
At the same time he charges, it Is hampered fatally
by cumbersome constitution and the presence of
lot small nations whose votes are as potent as those
Of France or Great Britain.
my own views of League of Nations" he said In
an interview to be found elsewhere in this
paper, "is spontaneous agreement between Great
Britain and the United States France Italy, Germany,
and Japan, without elaborate treaties to see to
it that each looks after its affairs and that there
is no aggression on the part of the minor states"
Above all, the editor holds, the United States and
Britain should shake hands and cooperate for world
peace.
That the existing League of Nations is too much
of debating society," and that much Of its effective
ness is spoiled by its own cumbersomeness, there
can be no doubt It's real aim is to prevent war,
particularly another world war; and it should stick
to its knitting.
Many of the sociological and political problems
with which it is prone to deal would settle themselves
very nicely if the world could continue to live in
peace long enough
But there another side to the question. The prob
lens and grievances brought up in the league meetings
at Geneva are going to exist whether the weaker
tons in the league out of it. If they be
aired there it serves to lessen the tension and unrest
among the small countries.
Letting off steam is necessary if explosions to
be prevented, and the Geneva league thus becomes
a sort of safety valve.
A new league composed of only the six great
powers named by Editor Blumenfed automatically
would lock out some thirds of the population of
the globe Left voceless, they at once would begin
an agitation leading to ultimate revolt and the
more the big six attempted to sit on them the ercer
the opposition would grow.
Moreover any league of nations must derive most
of it's strength from world opinion and league that
started out by shutting the door on majority OF
the peoples of the world would have popular opinion
and suspicion against it from the outset
AS for the great powers giving themselves the
mandate to keep the smaller nations at peace, we
seriously doubt if the scheme would work Europe
already has tried to keep the Balkan States apart
but what usually happened was the big powers fell
out among themselves until 1914 came and with it
The western hemisphere, represented in the big six
league only by the United States, presumably would
be kept in order by the United States. We say pre-
sumably, because of the Monroe doctrine.
Ultimately, our tutelage would be thrown of, for
already the PanAmerican demand is for cooperation
rather than power control however humanitarian
and beneficial that control may be.
For some time now we have been trying to keep the
peace in Hayti and Nicaragua, with the result that
our relations with the rest of Latin America today
are at low ebb.
It seems to us that with all its manifest disadvan-
tages regional cooperation and world co-opera-
ton the little with the big the weak with the power
full is the key to world peace if may be permitted
the optimism to believe in such a thing
AS to Editor Blumenfeld's central thought, how
ever idea Of the English speaking world cooper