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Show fW' w l THE CITIZEN 4 lions of an economic character. It can order a boycott. There will be pressure . of a financial sort and more pressure of a moral sort. Beyond that the League cannot go. For the League, despite the terrifying picture painted by its opponents, is, in extreme cases, rather a helpless body. It cannot call anybody to arms and it cannot order signatory nations to march militantly against an offending member nation. Economic and moral pressure constitutes its sole weapons. It is well to remember that fact, in view of statements emanating from isolation quarters. The Tribune has been a constant booster for the League of Nations, but not until this editorial was written did the Tribune acknowledge that the League had no force behind it. Then what I good is the League? Oh We forget it provides high salaried positions for politicians, the expense of which is taxed upon the people. No better argument as to the worthlessness of the League can be cited than the present trouble between Italy and Greece. Both of these countries are members of the League of Nations, which is governed by well defined set of rules agreed upon by all powers of the world with our former President Wilson a3 the chief designer and advocate of the League. Italy has notified the League that it is none of its business as regards the Grecian trouble, and if the League butts in, Italy will withdraw from the League. The people of the United States have been told that the League of Nations was organized for the purpose of stopping all wars. Whats the answer in the present case? What was the answer when Turkey dictated to all the League powers and forced herself back into Europe? No, we still believe that the Leageu of Nations was organized to annext the wealth of the United States, and to hold down the surrection of subject powers who might declare their independence across the water at which time this country would receive orders to send troops to subdue the countries. What a pretty mess we would have gotten into had the United States complied with the request of the European powers to go into Armenia to protect that country from the Turks. If the powers are so anxious to do away with war, why dont they get rid of their large standing armies and big navies? England, France and Italy are spending more money for war material than ever. This fact conclusively proves their contempt for the League of Nations, notwithstanding their favorable propaganda which is ' like an in- being circulated throughout this country. A nation, dividul, must be judged by its acts and not by its talk. DISASTROUS MOVE. A few weeks ago an organization was formed at Wichita called the Southwestern Wheat Producers Association. This was formed and other men by actual farmers and officials of farmers bodies who are fighting the battles of the farmers every day. This organproject at all, but conization refused to touch the price-fixin- g fined its recommendations to that of restricting wheat acreage and replacing wheat with other crops. The fixing of a government price or the buying up of a and product at a given price has proven to be exceedingly unsound productive of disaster. silver proposal amounted to about the same thing, . The guaranteeing to silver mine owners a fixed government price foi Its fallacy fortunately was shown before the their product. 1896 election, in which it was for a time the principal issue. at one time Brazil experimented with government price-fixin- g in the matter of coffee. The government was to buy up all the coffee that went under a stated price. The immediate result was that the coffee planters increased their acrege 80 per cent instead of decreasing it to meet the market conditions. Instead of going up, the price went down, for the buyers of coffee were afraid that the surplus stocks of coffee in the hands of the government would get on the market in some way. This proved to be the case later on, by the way, although 16-to- the sentiment of the market was really the thing that caused the slump in the general world coffee market. If the American government should buy up all surplus wheat on a similar basis it would be an attempt to defeat the law of supply and demand, which is impossible in the long run. Such an attempt would only lead to unspeakable disaster to wheat grow- ers in the end. The first effect would be that all who have suitable wheat land would sow wheat. Even though statisticians figure that the cost of production is nearly or about $1.75 a bushel, every Kansas farmer knows that in actual practice $1.75 wheat would cause every wheat farmer especially landlords to go in strong for wheat-raisinThere would 'be an immediate What would be done with the surplus? It might be held for a year or even two years, but then there would be other crops coming on. Nobody believes that the government would dump the surplus into the sea. It would find its way onto the. market in some way. O Whenever it did, the surplus, which would increase each year because of the good price and the inducement to wheat-raisinwould become a menace to the welfare of the wheat farmer and some day the 'bottom would drop out and demoralization would ensue. If there should be a fixed government price, the growers of other commodities would also clamor for a fixed price. The corn growers would demand protection for corn. Cotton growers would demand protection for cotton. The manufacturers of clothing would demand a fixed price on their wares. There would be no end to the process. The southwestern producers are wise in not being lured into the scheme. It would be disastrous to wheat farmers in the end. Wichita Beacon. non-reside- nt g. over-productio- n. g, A CONTRAST. The United States and old Mexico have met and shook hands and will try to forget the past and endeavor in the future to become the best of neighbors. We have had a great deal of trouble with Mexico, dating as far back as the administration of President Taft, but it remained to the lot of our late President Harding to start the wheels of friendship moving in the right direction. Mexico has many times given us cause for a revolution from the European standpoint of view, but this great country of ours has invariably held itself in check and tried in every way to remedy bad conditions. Our citizens have been robbed and murdered. A few years ago nearly an entire company of soldiers was annihilated and still we refused to give this small power a spanking. The thinking classes of Mexico ought to appreciate our lenient course in the matter, and that will be one reason that we will be better prepared to do business in the future. Mexico must surely now realize that this country is her best friend, otherwise there would be no - Mexico. What a contrast there is in the way we handled the situation from that of Italy, who has Greece by the throat. A few Italians were murdered on Grecia territory and immediately Italy blames the Grecian government and has sent her army in to collect a heavy toll. The League of Nations stands idly by and winks at the holdup. -l FARRELL TELLS WHY. Will G. Farrell, former prominent ciitzen and business man of this city, and now of Los Angeles, not by choice, but tiring ol the local squabble, like Samuel Newhouse, has told the good people of our city why he left, and also told us how we can mke a big state. Some of the people have been trying hard to accomplish this result. There is a solution, and only one solution, and that O when we all get together and take religion out of business and politics will this state come into its own. No man is perfect and we should give every man the right to worship his God as he sees fit, and not question his religion, nor should any religion be |