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The Commoner
pMBEB, 1919 : ' '
Alliance With France
Unnecessary
WflU, tht the proposed Treaty of Alliance with
1 Y before the sonato the country is pre
FX to conSder and pass upon it. Believing
Ff-ftha treaty should bo rejected by the senate
submit the following objections:
trtrsf It is unnecessary. In his message pre
cntlnVthe treaty to the senate the President
vs" "It is believed that the treaty of peace
Xth Germany itself provides adequate protec
JZ i to Franco against aggression from her re
ent enemy on tho oast." If that is true it is
Sot worth while to deviate from our course in
tho Dast and set a dangerous precedent foT the
f turo merely because "the years immediately
Ahead of us contain many incalculable possibil
ities " The possibilities of injury to us are more
difficult to calculate than tho possibilities of
barm to France.
" Second: The proposed alliance is a reflection
upon the League of Nations and discredits It in
advance. It proclaims to the world a lack of
faith In the sufficiency of the League of Nations.
We cannot afford to destroy confidence in that
wlrch we present as a cure for war.
Third: The proposed alliance forms a league
within a league, tho very .thing which the Presi
dent only a few months ago denounced as ob
jectionable to the American people. It would
create jealousies and enmities that would
menace the very existence of the league. We
cannot afford to risk the very effect of such an
alliance on the league. And it must bo remem
bered that France opposed tho league and would
bo pleased if the alliance destroyed the league,
while the United States would be greatly dis
appointed and humil'ated before the world if
tho alliance wrought tho overthrow of the
League of Nations.
Fourth: The United States cannot afford to
bo "unequally yoked together" with a nation
which does not have our point of view and has
not yet caught the vision of the new era. France
relies upon the sword and only desires a com
bination of powers strong enough to maintain
peace by terrorism. We cannot afford to sur
render our moral prestige, forfeit our position
of independence and descend to her level. For
more than a century we have protected tho re
publics of Central and South America from
European aggression and we have not demanded
compensation in money or concessions. Under
Mr. Cleveland's administration we were willing
to go to war with Great Britain to protect tho
boundary line bewteen Venezuela and a British
possession. In 1898 we did go to war with Spain
to aid Cuba to secure her independence, and
when that independence was secured we hauled
down our flag in order that the flag of a Cuban
republic might be raised in its place. We went
into the world war in order to make democracy
safe everywhere and when the war was over we
asked for no recompense except tho satisfaction
of seeing tho world benefited. Our reward is
sufficient if the late war can be made the last
war to redden the earth with blood.
The President went to Franco realizing that
no must fight a single-handed battle against the
seiilsh demands of other nations, and he made
a great fight. Considering the difficulties he had
to overcome it is astonishing that he secured
as good a treaty as he did. Having rendered
e world a groat and .disinterested service we
must maintain our independence and be in posi
tion to throw our influence on tho side of justice
th aily controversy that may arise and thus mako
:? League of Nations a power for the promo
tion of peace.
Fifth: The proposed alliance is to remain in
JwGiUntil the council of the league shall agree
St i proviBins of the covenant of tho league
Aorug sufficient protection to France. In other
J'Oras, tho proposed alliance not only discredits
le laaguo hut puts tho termination of the alli
ance in the hands of a council i which foreign
nations have control. We cannot afford to sur
render the right to decide when this special pro
jection of Franco shall cease. It is an abdica
Mon of sovereignty of which our nation cannot
"unk of heing guilty, ir. the League of Nations
ine council advises when arid what force tlw
w sha11 employ but, as tho President plainly
Poms out, each nation resorves tho right to
uec uie whether it follow the advice and employ
military force. In tho proposed alliance with
:,anco no such rights Jh. reserved". We1 -not only
NeuKe the employments -of' forco boforo the
Leaguo of Nations can make any invostleatlon
but wo permit tho council of the League . o! : Na
tion to decide how long wo must continue to
pledge our army and navy to tho protection of
a nation whoso conduct wo are poworlass to
control.
Sixth: Wo cannot afford to transfer to another
government the right to decide WHEN this na
tion shall go to war. Wo now know what mod
ern warfare is and it is more necessary than
ever beforo to keep tho war-making power in
the hands of our own people. France doos not
pay us a very high compliment when she will
not trust us to decide tho question when thu
timo for action arrivos. In spite of tho service
that we have rendered to her she demands that
we shall tie our hands and permit a Fronch
assembly to decide when American blood shall
flow and American billions bo spent.
The advocates of the proposed alliance liavo
argued that congress will still retain the right
to declare war but that right is meroly nominal
a shadow if a declaration of war is pledged
in advance.
Congress must he as free to say NO as to say
YES if it is to retain its constitutional authority
to decide the question of peaco or war. If it in
pledged in advance to a declaration of war
whenever France demands it, it cannot exerc'so
its right to decide against war without declaring
the treaty to be a scrap of paper.
The word "unprovoked" (it. is an "unpro
voked'.' attack that we promised to repel) Is no
protection to us because no time is allowed for
investigation. Wo must act at once and inves
tigate afterwards.
What tho world needs Is the cultivation of
the spirit that DESIRES peaco and WILLING
NESS to havo peaco on the basis of Drother
hood. This spirit will not he encouraged hy tho
formation of alliances for war they have been
the fruitful cause of war in tho past and invilo
a reliance upon force instead of friendship. This
nation is teaching tho doctrine of brotherhood
and in giving to tho world the plan of tho
League of Nations it has embodied tho spirit of
brotherhood in uio iuuuiuuuiy umi o wu. .......
... tj... . . u . .. 211 1-.. His if cf
Drouiernuuu in mu mttw....w; w - --------
a substitute for war. Its actions will belie its
wbrds if it encourages France to reject tho only
-. i.i ., 4lm rlnntrlnn nf lirotlior-
hood proclaimed by Him at whoso corning tho
WDiH conn- nn fiarth neace. Kood w II toward
angels sang
men.'
W. J. BRYAN.
"HE SAID SOMETHING THEN"
. During an opening prayer at a recent demo
crat "pnnveifon. n delete "brought down
the house" by shouting, "Ho said something
then" as the preacher concluded an e ouuent
eulogy to the candidate. Ono is tempted to re
neat the .compliment when he reads the state
Sent attributed to Lord Cecil by a recent Lon
Sni disnatch He said he did not think the
"a UlanX' "between the United States, France and
rrp-it Britain would materialize." Sucii ai
Itencesf he added, always break down Just when
waro wanted. That is encouraging; ho
misht have Strengthened tho statement by add-
?ngS that Ihoy are not needed with a League ot
Nations.
A LANDMARK GONE
d0mr,LPt t to party in that campaign ami
. went 'against tno paj moral;
never rfanea it. Its oam P not do.
namely, TmlsoC the north for ef
pend upon the bit flames 01 democrat0
SSSS 2ST& KS?H ami Dixon
" Taints fffi? &5f- &
newspaper represent a is n6e. A man
invested and a heavy ua y i Jg
vho is rich ogh o own sucn p i
ususally connected w interc8t8 which
corporations , and has ancia
prevent his iaG:hiBL corporations. And,
cipal fights with f"cT wfcoas able to own
if a man could be found wh th(j p
a big paper and yet tree a8 agaIngt
pie's side he would stand Ia, interests
paper suppor eJ rseoking corporations,
which work wit ii mo fc y upon the
The democratic Partmu tnQ
weeldv rather than the da iy p f y tQ
LARGE dailies), aim i makes a
reach tho masses In tbe nac08Sary as a
National Bnletn toPJ overy pomical'
A Military Candidate
General Wood sooms to bo loading in tho
straw-votes for the Republican Presidential
nomination. Ho is the ono candidato who has
secured a stato (South Dakota). His popular
ity is probably duo, for tho most part, to the
belief that his soloctlon would bo a triumph for
tho Roosevelt clement of tho party, and hla
strength ia likoly to bo greatest in those sections
where tho former president had tho largest
following. Some favor his nomination because
of rosontment againBt tho Prosldont for not gv
ing him a position of lcadurship in tho army
in Franco, but, as tho gonoralu who did crofla
tho ocean do not scein to have made much po
litical capital out of tho war, it may havo boon
a favor to him to havo kept him In tho Unitod
States.
Rut will a military candidate bo popular next
year? The regular army offlcor Is in his ele
ment when he is at tho lioRtl of a military unit;
ho is indispensable in time of war, but the vary
training that makes him an ofllciont soldier
tends to unfit him for tho duties of tho hlghor
ofllces of the government In timo of ponce. In
a government liko ours power comes up from
the people they are In command; In tho array
authority comes down from tho top. In poli
tics, persuasion Is the means usually employed
for securing action; tho army olflr.or commands.
In civic affairs progress is sougnt through con
ciliation and compromise between tho conflict
ing opinions; it is Uio business of tho mon -in
uniform to obey without question, not to ask
, the reason why. Tho statement doals with pre
ventives and healing remedies; the soldior
knows only tho science of surxory.
If tltere ever was a timo whan tho ideals of
pence should be cultivated and harmoniouu
policies employed that timo Is now. Tho world
has just passed through Its bloodiest conflict;
the air has been rent with tho shriok of burst
ing shells and red with tno glaro of liquid tiro.
The poisonous gas bus done its deadly work and
tears enough have been shod to wash out all
tho sins the world has ever known. War debts,
unparalleled In their staggering weight, lay a
heavy mortgage upon tho future. ..Tho peoplo
yearn for peace; they long for tho spirit of
brothorhood and the charity of tho good Sam
aritan. They turn from the martial music of
the carnage-covered field to tho songs that
usher in the "glad day whon faith shall Inspire,
when hope shall quicken the hearts of mon and
love bind up tho wounds of tho world.
W. J. BRYAN.
WATlTfMH mY ACT VALID
By unanimous vote tho Unitod Slaton su
preme court upheld tho validity of wartime pro
hibition, and bus decreed tho -enforcement of tho
act until peaco is proclaimed. The decision Is a
sweeping victory for the contentions of tho drye
and tho government. One by ono tho props aro
falling from under the liquor forces, and Jan
uary 10, 1920 tho day of final emancipation
from booze looms only a fow weeks ahead.
TKJjL YOUIt FRIENDS
If you like Tho Commoner toll your friends.
Bach enthusiastic roader can, Jf ho will, secure
several subscribers fai his neighborhood. Tho
Commoner relies for its growth upon the ac
tivity of its friends. Its influence depends up
on the number of subscribers; will you in
crease tho number?
The head ot tho Retail Millinery association,
recently remarked that "thero Is no Intrinsic
value in millinery." Tho fact that no woman
can get a hat that sho regards as flfe to wear
for loss than $25 would indicate that Bomo
tradosmon are -able hypnotists.
"START
1020 WITH A
CLUB"
COMMONER
As a suggestion for tho New Year, a
Commoner reader states that "the best
way for overy friohd of Tho Commoner
to start tho New Year right is to soisd
a club-of subscription for th year 1920."
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