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Show H WORDS OR SWORDS H The French-English-Amcrican alliance H that will become an actuality- if the recom H mendations that Mr. Wilson is to make to H the Senate prevail, is a frank admission H of the impotency of the league of nations H to accomplish the primary object for H which, it is alleged, it is to be created. If M France deems it essential to her future H safety that she shall have the guarantees H of both England and America that they M will step in in event of another invasion 1 from the Germans, it is evident that Cle- m menceau and the French place no confi- m dence in the league as a means of pro- 1 tection. 1 And well may the French take the atti- H tude they do. It was the valiant stand H of the Belgians, holding the Germans at H bay before Liege for two weeks, that gave H the Fenrch time to gather their forces B and save their country from utter destruc B 'tion. But suppose the league had been H in existence in 1914, Instead of the in- H 'stant and heroic defense by Belgium that, M it is not much to say, eventually saved the M 'day for France and the allies, we would M have had the war "declared a matter of m concern" to the world. Forthwith the B secretary general of the league would H have summoned a meeting of the council B to consider what measures should be. tak- H en to restore peace. Under article XVII B of the league covenant a pplite invita- H tion would have been sent to the Germans H to beepme a member of the league upon m such conditions as the council, after ma- M ture deliberation, deemed just. Then B would have followed this course, as out- M lined in the second parapgraph of Ar- tide XVII: fl "Upon such invitation being given the B council shall immediately institute an in- H quiry into the circumstances of the dis- H pute and recommend such action as may B , seem best and most effectual in the cir- H cumstanccs." B Is it any wonder that the Fijonch re-B re-B fuse to put their dependenccon such ar-B ar-B rant nonsonr? Are they to be expected B to risk their future life as a nation upon B such drivel? When the Germans appear-B' appear-B' ed on the banks of the Meuse ,and gave B'' evidence of their intent to cross and lay B waste their country, the brave defenders B of Liege instituted an inquiry of thwr B; own and in about two seconds decided B that the action that seemed 'best and Bj, most effectual in the circumstances" was B' a determined resistance. And they pro-B pro-B ceeded to resist to the uttermost, with B. the result that, although overwhelmed Bj themselves, they saved civilization from H cies'truction by the Hun. B We are not attempting to discuss the B merits of the question of whether we Bj should become a part of the proposed al-B al-B liance. That i another matter, but the B outstanding fact of the whole transac-B transac-B tion if that the league of nations proposes propos-es es to substitute red tapeVithout end, di-H di-H plomatic negotiation, and interminable Bj meddling by an international council of B nine individuals, for the upstanding pat-B' pat-B' riotism that responds with instant action Bf when national honor is in peril. The B k French will Jiave none of it. Why should B' the United States, the reputation of - whose popple for vigorous defense of Bj right and honor is second to none, permit B themselves to be shackled by such a puer-B puer-B ile attempt to accomplish with the pen B what the sword alone has been able to H achieve since man was born into the H world? H B |