Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
Sees Lasting Need for
League Of Nations
Praises Work Accomplished
Without Support of
United Stotes

To the Editor Of The Star:
want to congratulate you for The
Leagues Success" and also for your pub
lication on December 10 Of the excellent
letter by Melvin D. Hildreth concerning
this subject. To those whose faith in
the ideals and efforts of the League has
not failed, these timely articles come as
a tonic par excellent.
Mr.. Hildreth's letter wildly sets forth
the necessity of the League and why its
work must go on. While 1t is true that
the League has acted feebly at times, we
will do well to keep in mind that 1t has
labored without the support of our own
great Nation. Viewed in the true light
of its detectives and organization, this
enterprise stands out as a landmark in
the history of the civilized world. When
compared with the time honored and
savage method of settling international
difficulties by force, the League is really
an amazing thing. There are some who
contend that the detectives of the League
are too difficult to attempt. The fact
that its idea is difficult to work out
should not result in abandonment of
effort. We are fast approaching a con-
dition when consultative parliament
OF the world must be maintained. This
is no longer dream; it is the convic-
ton OF every civilized nation. In the
light of this conviction, failures of the
League to live up to all its obligations, or
lapses on the part of some of its men,
bers, are in a degree trifling
Only those who have closely followed
the proceedings of the League can be
aware of its vitality. A few years ago,
while in Geneva, I watched from the
gallery the Assembly of the League in
action. Here were representatives from
more than half hundred different ma
tons (nations large and smalD discuss
ing ways and means of co-ordinating
the economic and political work of the
world. There must be few Americans
indeed who can witness this serious at
tempt on the part of so many nations
without sense of feeling that our own
beloved America was much like an I'M
cooperative child, refusing to join hands
in the greatest organized attempt ever
made to develop world order and peace.
1t recalls the memorable words of Wood
row Wilson in his last days: Il have no
fear of the League of Nations: it will
take care Of itself. My only fear is that
the American people will not understand
it, and support it,
According to Mr.. Hildreth: ut perhaps
is true that only part of the world pays
heed to what is being done at Geneva,
but it is to our everlasting credit that
somewhere in the world the flame of
human progress is being guarded" 1t
has been guarded by the intellectual CO.
operation of men of faith and good will
Alfred Zimmern, professor at oxford
University, gave vivid expression to this
thought when he said: II look to intel
lectual cooperation of men of faith and
good will for the future guidance Of the
world
If the League fails, it will have to be
built up again. Another attempt toward
world order and peace will have to be
made. If we believe in cooperative
methods in dealing with domestic prob
lens. then we must believe in some or
ganization for international cooperation
in dealing with problems arising between
nations WARD M. KEESECKER,
Berkeley Springs, w. Va.
January 20.