Show LEAGUE OP NATIONS AND NEXT YEARS ELECTIONS from recent newspaper reports it appears that when the campaign starts tor for next nest years national elections the league of nations will not be an issue the last utterance to this effect comes from senator I 1 underwood of alabama who has his hat in the ring for nomination to be the banner bearer of the democratic party the party that went in to the campaign of 1920 with the league as the main issue that the party heads beads or at least very many of them have their hearts turned away from the league Is mainly ascribable crl cri bable to the imbroglio between italy and greece which has so well exposed the true character of the famous covenant through this imbroglio it has been made clear perfectly and thoroughly that the league of nations is impotent to settle anything unless it uses force where as in that case of italy and greece it is afraid or unable to use force it has no more power than any debating society which meets and passes resolutions both in europe and america advocates of the league of editions na alons are today deploring the tact fact that it was impossible to coerce italy in to submission by the instrument of the league this means that the 52 nations which are members are unable or unwilling to furnish manpower and naval power the smaller nations are unable to do so because they do not have mill military militar tar r and naval forces of sufficient strength to be a factor the larger nations like great britian Brit lan are unwilling to do so because they know to attempt it would mean a war between themselves and italy hence their regret that the united states is 13 not a member of the league in order that she might be directed by the league to do the coercion at the expense of the lives of our manhood only two reasons have ever ex isted asted for the desire of europe that this country join the league of 0 nations one was that we would thereby be compelled at the order of 0 the league to furnish military and naval forces to coerce any country tr which the selfish and ambitious nations of europe wanted disciplined and the other was that we should furnish the money with which to finance bankrupt and spendthrift nations of europe in their territorial and commercial ambitions if the american people want to know what would happen it the united states were in the league of nations now let them visualize the situation and ask themselves whether or not they would be willing at this time to send their boys to the mediterranean to coerce italy and let them ask themselves that if next nest week or next month the ambitious bit ious dominating powers of europe decided that greece or turkey or some other country needs coercion they would be willing to send their boys to some other section of europe and spend american money to settle european quarrels to which this country was not a party and in which neither its honor nor its interests were involved it is argued in some quarters that coercion would not take the form ol 01 0 military and naval operations but would take te form of an economic boycott against the ol em ending Vending nations by all the members of the league applied to the present situation it would mean all members of the league of nations would economically no boycott italy cease trading with her again let lei the american people visualize the situation the united states has no quarrel with italy yet we would be compelled to stop trading with her last year we purchased from italy goods in the sum of KS and sold to italy goods in the sum of were we now a member of the league of nations and an economic boycott I 1 would be ordered we would be co compelled I 1 under the conditions kofl of our membership to break friendly relations with italy stop sale of goods to her and purchase of goods from her destroy the friendship which has existed between this country and italy since the united states became a nation and involve ourselves inextricably 1 in the political quarrels rals of europe that is what a membership in the league of nations means america having the manpower and the money would if she were a member of the league be the nation called upon to make the greatest contributions of blood and treasure for the purpose of acting as an international policeman poli cenan it is fortunate indeed it is providential that at this juncture the real character of the league of nations has been exposed the exposure completely justifies the action ar tion of the united states senate in refusing to enter the leage of nations and completely justifies the attitude of the republican party in taking an uncompromising stand against participating in the league of nations in any manner whatsoever |