The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-20

educators and politicians by George w. Wickersham and Nicholas Mur- ray Butler, on behalf of the asso- citation both men are officers. The other replies will be released short y.
 Tn covering letter to Mr Wick ersham, author of the Question- naire on the political phase of inc ternational affairs. the former sec- retary of war said:
 "rhe basis of much of the cur- rent misjudgment of the league. apart from the prejudices which have been permitted to grow up about the subject, arises from the fact that we efficient Americans want the league to act with the dramatic precision of a machine tool when, of course, the whole value of the league lies In the fact that tt Is neither dramatic or pre- else but flexible. constructive, and concilIatory. The technique which the secretariat has developed and the council followed in the past ten years seems to me to have made the league grow steadily in effec- tiveness and usefulness, and I share your feeling that our Amer ican citizens must be given real knowledge if they are to be asked to give up their prejudices on this most important of subjects"
 Mir Bakers replies follow:
 i. Hns tho worlds peace ma clinery proven of value tn tho Far Eastern crisis?
 Tn my Judgment the War Enst- ern crisis Is not yet settled. l ex- pect to find Japan presenting far reaching plans with regard 10 China which will impose severe tests upon the statesmanship of the world. But for the worlds peace machinery, Japan would have pro- ceeded to execute her will and the. whole face of civilization in the Tar East would be in the process of remaking with the conse- qucnces to the rest of tho world / difficult to exaggerate. AS 1t Is, the nature of the worlds peace machinery, which requires public. ity, has been and will be of the greatest value in moderating the transition of the Far East from what we have known 1t into the new and undlsclosed thing 1t is to become. That change VIII be made seems to me inescapablo. That 1t can be made with enough moderation not to break the peace of the world I believe is possible but only because of the peace ma chinery set up since the armistice.
 2. What importance do you at- tach to tho part played by tho nlnc.IOwer treaty? By the pact Of Paris? By the league of nations?
 The nine. power treaty seems to mo to have been important because 1t 10 Q specific pledge to which the United states is a party with TO- gard to tho maintenance of tho territorial and political integrity of China, Tho covenant of the league and to some extent tho pact Of Paris oxpruss tho same pledge but, of course, tho United States is not a member of the league and with out its obligations under the nino- power treaty and tho pact or Paris would not have been In position to cooperate with the league in tho crisis. If tho United states is not to become q member, It seems 10 me important that t should enter into agreements iiko the nine- power treaty 50 that 1t will have 6 basis in It's own treaty structure analogous to the obligations Of member states Tn the league. Of course, tho ideal situation VIII como about when treaties of gen. oral importance are all multilat- eraI and thcre is cooperation or states through the league as m agency for tho expression or their common interest.
 3, Has tho league beer handl- canned In It's efforts to solve the Tar Eastern problem by tho non. mem i,crshlp of tho United states and # 50, how"
 I think the league has been han dicapped In its efforts in the Ear I1astern situation by the non-mem- bership of tho United states. Con- certed action of the kind appro- priate to be takon In q crisis like this ought to be worked out in con- ference, and H serious obstacle is interposed when all of the con forecs but ono can confer ana then in Z have to submit their results to the non-m -member. Uncertainty on the part of tho league as to what the Unltod States would or could do and similar uncertainty on the part of tho United states as to what the league could or would do divid- od tho solid front which tho dis- interested great powers ought to hayo been ablo to make in their representations to China and Japan. Tn my Judgment, both countries took advantage Of tho fnct that tho rest of the world was not acting together.
 {. What importance do you ate tagh to the specific American cOll' tributiOn tO tho problem, namely the stiinson doctrine, and to the lcague's endorsement of tt?
 Tho specific Amcrican contribu- ton to the problem of the crisis. namely the ptImson doctrine, is, or course, q better piece of cooporn- ton than mono at nli but nm quito sure. it ts no NO good q, contripu- tho United states hnd been c niem- ber of tho league and the council hnd worked out n unified md united program. am troubled about what is going to happen In Manchurin under the btimDon dcc. trIno. The new government in that country has fair chance of bc- coming thoroughly stabilized long before China is in q position to re. catablish any. authority there and nm at a loss to know what tho limited statos and tho nations, members of the league, can do by mere non-recognitlon of an estab- iished situation. This problem is too complicated for solution with out far moro kncwledse than ! have. For instance, I have not tho least idea of the extent to which inc newly established government in Manchuria is acceptable to the Chinese population of, Manchuria and that, I should imagine, would Dc n vital factor. The United states and the league may well decline to recognize the new regime so long as it is n nero flag held up on Jap. oneaa bay0nete but if it becomes