Evening star., 1943-11-21
By Sigrid Arne,
Associated Press Writer.

" NuCtOHS ASSCHOty, NOCcWOCT
IS, 1920, and (lo1uer) President
Wilson leaUing for the Peace Con-
ference in April, 1919, 1Cearing
broad smile Uhich faded during
later Developments.
which this obligation shall be fulfilled"
Now the world is of again on the
same debate, and 1t promises to be the
same full scale hippodrome that the last
battle was.
The notion of a league of nations is
an old one. Henry the w of France
suggested 1t in 1884 William Penn
wanted European diet" in 1893 I'M
manuel Kant, the philosopher, went
deeper. He wanted federation of peo-
pie, thereby going over the heads OF
rulers. He wanted a federation Of free
states" essentially the same idea Clar-
ence STREET advocates today in his
union now"
In 1907 there was league talk again,
after the Russo-Japanese War, winding
up with Theodore Roosevelt who said
1T would be a master stroke if those
great powers, honest bent on peace,
would form league of peace"
Curiously, when the League battle
came up in the Senate, ct. r." was the
group which opposed the League Cove
nant, advising them on tactics. AL
through 1918 ct R." had fought Wilson
in public statements, calling for an up
rising against all Wilson'S statements of
war aims
The year 1918 was a congressional
election year, and the Republicans were
out to get majority in Congress with
the hope of short -circuiting Wilson at
the peace conference.
At the very same time that the Re-
publicans, led by "T. r." were attacking
Wilson and his IA points, Germany and
Austria appealed to Wilson for a peace
based on them
On October "a, 1918, Wilson replied to
Germany. and on the same day IT. r."
came out with long public telegram to
Republican Senators saying that he
earnestly hoped" the Senate would re-
pudiate a negotiated peace with Ger
many and declare against the Presi-
dents war aims.
Lost Control of Senate.
The verbal battle had become so
heated that the following day Wilson
did startling thing. He issued an ap-
peal to the voters, which said in part:
MY fellow countrymen: If you have
approved of my leadership and wish me
to continue unembarrassed in affairs at
home and abroad, earnestly beg that
you will return a Democratic ajority
to both the Senate and the House."
He lost that appeal. The Republicans
won majority in the Senate.
Seven days later came the armistice.
Wilson departed for the Paris peace
conference leaving behind him Senate
controlled by his political enemies, and
knowing that whatever treaty he
brought back had to be accepted by
two thirds vote.
ing figure at the peace conference, but
walking on political quicksands. His Il
points had hastened the peace. They
were the hope of both the enemy and of
minorities all over Europe. But back
home was Senate that might toss
them out the window.
Even SO, Wilson threw himself
doggedly into the work of persuading
the conference to accept his principles
and to write a League of Nations cov-
enant into the peace treaty
Opposed Land Grab.
On that score he had trouble. Several
of the powers had been figuring on
grabs of German colonies as a pay-off
for their war troubles. Wilson wanted
the colonies inundated. Obviously, a
land grab scarcely would square with
the implied "self-determination" in the
IA points.
So the delegates at the conference
fought to split the writing Of the treaty
and the league. Treaty frst, they said,
and then weu agree On . league.