Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-08
The leoque Revived?

The League Revived?
President Roosevelt has designated
this Sunday as day of prayer for
peace. His purpose is that of an ap-
peal to the Ruler of the Universe in
behalf of the restoration of mercy
and tolerance among men. Again as
on numerous occasions in the past
he has reminded his country and its
neighbors of their dependence upon
religion for the spiritual basis of law
and order, equity and social harmony
In the world. Without apology he has
asked them to remember their obli-
cation to the elemental dynamic of
civilization-the power of conscience
In the human breast without which
there can be no security from the re-
current plague of war.
Certainly, critics will scott at such
idealism. The professional agnostic
is faithful to his doubts about the
perfectability of human nature, loyal
to that prejudice, If to nothing else.
He makes a dogma of the notion that
armed strife is natural phenome-
non, an indispensable pattern of ex-
perience from which no government
can escape. Perhaps the motive is
a fatalistic nihilism. Be the eXpla-
nation what it may, the influence
of the doctrine is diSgenic. 1t is an
opiate for hope, poison which spells
death for the courage which people
need if they are to solve their prob
lens of fratricidal conflict.
A larger public, it is probable, still
trusts the Infinite, still responds to
the inspiration of some reflection OF
the Cosmic Reality which illumi-
mates the individual heart. The
prevailing European struggle has
prompted Americans to think once
more of the League of Nations which
President Woodrow Wilson in an
earlier crisis proposed. 1t was rejected
by the United States, primarily be-
cause it was contingent upon the
Treaty of Versailles-a covenant of
hate which from the hour of its
signing was doomed to create dis
sension anew But the theory of
federation of independent societies
was not evil. On the contrary, it was
and is abundantly good.
While Nazi planes dropped bombs
upon London last week, Viscount
Cecil of Chelwood, winner of the
Nobel Peace Prize for 1887, declared:
''War is grotesque and wicked
anachronism. The League of Nations
was an attempt to build up barrier
against war by international CO.
operation, which was to act both as
preventive of war and as an agency
for bringing the nations into more
friendly relations with one another.
For the moment it is in condition
of suspended animation. But think
that in some form or other, it will
be essential to revive it. Those
nations which take part in this new
effort to secure peace must recog-
nize that that is the chief object of
their whole external policy. Nothing
is more important, for each nation
as for the whole community of ma
tons, than the maintenance of peace,
and it ought to command and re-
ceive the ungrudging support of all
civilized peoples. 1t was the lack of
this spirit-the spirit of an inter-
national esprit de corps-Which -
prevented the League from taking
the steps necessary to put a stop to
aggression"
Perhaps these sentiments may
seem untimely. If so, their sponsor
will concede his fault. Meanwhile, the
prayers of a great democracy, by
Gods love still free, arise today for
the liberation of the race from mass
murder Something not vastly at
variance with Geneva must be de-
vised for the cure of the disease of
greed and fear and slaughter with
which innocent millions are afflicted.
What better suggestion is there?
Echo answereth.