Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1919-02-23 | Page 16 | A Public Issue

A f Public hsue Issue 1 T 01 I DING I. I YG the reassurances o of or the he pre pr pro pro- a LN of ot the league a of nations and despite i ridicule of the attitude of Senator Borah of Idaho the thU Idaho solon commands a willing illin ear as 35 he declares thaU that the the people she should be bo heard beard Without attempting attempting- to in in j in-j dorse dowse all nil that thin Senator r Borah rali says or docs does it we e ma 1 safely say my that 1 his its position in this respect is in line s. with tho thought of or self self-g self governing o verning b people The people must be thoroughly informed concerning the 1 of the tho new order and this does not mean that the case e shall shan be he closed with argument by the League to Enforce Peace Proponents o of thc to tell us that support support- of the tho new oI organization is a sacred dut duty that without it wars I Twill will continue to threaten our security tr They promise that the league is a guarantee against b wars likening it unto unto the whip which used to hang on the wall for fori t children The league is the essence of moral persuasion and psychological in influence luence which may ne uever v ez have to be used On the other hand hand t we wo find the opponents of th the 1 league Ue opposing i it chiefly on n the grounds ro t that at it can drag us into wars wars ars with which wo we have ha nothing to do Plainly y there are two different viewpoints points in the 2 wo world rid on this vital subject of a league of oi nations Theis The ono is essentially international the other is national Europe is the dominant factor facto in the league df o nations and has ever been tho stamping ground for wars and intrigue America on the other hand band has never ne fought but gilt has hns been content to meet her herI a. a w. w an any righteous wars I n O j iod od on me We basIs OL ot ner nur own o acts lull ju lW w or V. V to ner righteousness has been the thc actual performance of good good and the tho sermon preached d an example well set This is the dominant o spirit of the American people i le w Europe en on the other hand has hac not been been possessed d T of these high ideals A blood relation has existed still exists exists in Europa Europe which is not to be con c converted ed and and reformed re- re formed formed at v will ill Perhaps these squabbles will continue and we will ill find ourselves es only the lash of the dominant dominant dom dom- inapt force What we do at nt the direction of a le league nue of nations is is s not within the dictates of our own con con- science We Ye aro are told the league will do nothing n but bul b good but have e we any an guarantees of this fact fad 1 Have bice that storm from within not ice we e nn any assurance a may l at at- some future time make us the paw of a European ambition 7 The question is to be studied not alone by men on the cry lie Hc lie kept us out of war not alone b by ly Congress the friends of the league or r it ita ity opponents but h by the American people This league vitally ally affects the future of every ery individual citizen got of the United States and is to be accepted or rejected V sanely simely and dispassionately They are not to be thrown off their balance or silenced but encouraged in reaching reaching reaching reach reach- ing a n calm alm and deliberate decision as to the future con cou course e of the nation m no man bo be deceived into believing that this lean league a of nations is to be established without chang charm charming ing the course of government Changes are necessary for the establishment of the power needed to make the lc league a force in the world We Ve are establishing an aD international government which may demand or precipitate precipitate pre pre- changes in the national state state- The point of today j is not the same as it was wh when n we armed ourselves for the fight with the Hun Inn The reform of the tho world is a new issue and it is fitting that the American people should be entitled to say whether or DOt not they desire to undertake the task We Ye entered the war with a national point of view In 1914 1 enforced righteousness was was wasas as much in de do- demand man wand mand as it iL is today todar President Wilson Tilson then said M We Wo mean lUean to live our own lives li as wo we will but we e we mean also to let live Wo We are indeed a true friend to Ito all the nations of or tho the world because wo we threaten none covet the possessions of none desire the ho overthrow over over- throw of or n ne This is the time above all other when we should wish ish and resolve to keep our strength by self possession our ll influence by br preserving 1 our an ancient an- an cleat principles of action In those days patriotism and Americanism were the keynotes of our actions T Wo We c asked nothing for ourselves our our- selves but to be left alono to lead righteous lives Now 0 we C arc are told old tl that at we can cnn no longer consider ourselves es e as a n nation nahon doing good b by example alone Ve We are told eve ve c are aro responsible for th aro the sins of of our neighbor and to oJ that end must d do good as Europe sees it and not as our co conscience dl dictates tates The league of nations is a 3 pu public hc issue and is IS to be decided by the people Let their voices be heard 1 whether the they favor or or oppose that which we are arc asked to accept in the s faith I same me as the hereafter ter I fe isi pa J I