Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1920 — “GOD HELP THE MAN” [ARTICLE]

“GOD HELP THE MAN”

(“God help the man who finds in his heart no more response to this enterprise than to say he might favor a league of nations,” a statement that appeared in an editorial in the Indianapolis Star, Republican, on Meh. 15, 1919, seems particularly appropriate now that Warren G. Harding and the senatorial cabal have resolved to scrap the covenant and make a separate peace with Germany. The editorial and the manner in which it came to be reprinted in the Star a short time ago Is herewith reproduced.) FORMER SOLDIER QUOTES STAR EDITORIAL AS GUIDE FOR INDIANA SENATORS To the ■Editor of the Star: On looking over a scrap book, kept by my father and mother while I was overseas, I have found an editorial clipped from the Star of Meh. 16, 1919. It seems so to the point and so applicable right now, that I am enclosing it here and ask you to reprint it verbatim, head line included, in the “Views of the People” column. And I earnestly suggest that every lover of America, its homes and institutions, clip this out and mail a copy to each of our senators at once. By so doing you will express to our senators your deep feeling and interest in the league of nations, without much effort. ' And now is the time to make your wishes known. I am writing as one who has seen as much of the horrors of war as Sherman ever did, with a possible exception, and am willing to take chances on goings again under the terms of the league as written. Respectfully, MAJ. P. HARRISON, Jr., H. Q. Co. 150th F. A., 42d (Rainbow) Div., Indianapolis. * The editorial referred to by Ms. Harrison follows: GOD HELP THE MAN । The league of nations establishes international law as the rule of con(duct for all civilized powers, ad--1 mitted to its covenant of faith. Hitherto this exalted code of good behavior has been too much ideal, .to which nations rendered lip hom- • age, only to throw it away in the I stress of conflict. Now the theory

is to become the practice. Any nation member of the league is pledged to keep the law, and any nation violating It is automatically made an outlaw by all the rest. Every member of the league Is pledged to arbitrate all arbitrable questions and none will go to war till every means of adjusting the controversy has been exhausted. The settlements of this trfeaty are not to be disturbed by any war of aggression or plans of conquest Discipline for any rebel begins with investigation by the , league, then comes financial and economic boycott, and after that such measures of force as can be agreed on. The expense of this discipline Is to be, borne by a common fund from the. membership. The league would have been justly ( chargeable with ineffectiveness if had ignored the obpcure and remote causes of the war. An honeqt and ■ earnest effort is made to nip inclpi-; ent conflicts in the bud. To begin with, international treaties are to be made in the open, and valid only upon their registration with the league. This league constitution it- ( self, publicly put out for discussion by free men everywhere, is the first earnest of the new faith. We see conqueror nations at this peace con- j ference renouncing, some of them । under protest, the old claim of spoils ( for the victors, and putting colonies under the control of the league. | After the secret treaty, another. prolific occasion of war is the undue : manufacture of munitions and the i maintenance of stupendous military establishments. The league has gone at this problem with shrewdness and । zeal Not only are armaments to । be reduced, but their construction is to be brought under joint control and full understanding. Even the manufacture of munitions is taken absolutely out of private hands forever and made subject to international control and inspection. There can never be another Essen, another war-breeding cancer, subsisting off the labors and the security of peace; never another military machine like Germany’s preparing behind closed doors for world conquest overnight. The league of nations not only erects an international court which will sit continuously and authoritatively upon the disputes arising between nations, but it establishes a select society of self-governing peoples, for membership in which applicants must qualify in good behavior, evidence of self-government, and the acceptance of international law as the only rule of faith and practice. It sets up the blessed rule of right as against might, and pledges in its support from all the self-governing people that adhere to it their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. God help the man who finds in his heart no more response to this enterprise than to say he might favor a league of nations —but; or that a league of nations might be tolerated—if; or that after he has split hairs awhile over its grammar and its effect upon party politics, he might consent to consider it. God help the man to whom the dread spectacle of millions dead and millions yet unborn loaded down with war debt means nothing more than the opportunity for him to exploit himself. God help the man who, while the mass of his fellow men are perishing in slavery to tradition, sets up a brazen calf of precedents and prerogatives and invokes the letter of the law, while the weightier matters of love, justice and mercy lift up their eloquent voices to him in vain.