The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times, MONDAY. JANUARY 19th, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times, MONDAY. JANUARY 19th, 1925.

i AMERICA AND THE LEAGUE. ) If there were no other reason why we ! should be interested in Senator Borad, 1 the new chairman of the American j Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, remarks an exchange, it would be enough to remember that it was the unrelaxed, and bitter opposition of his predecessor (the late Senator Lodge) that influenced America to reject the Treaty of Versailles and kept her out of the League of Nations. The importance of the position is quite enough to arouse interested, and even anxious enquiry as to the outlook of the new chairman on world problems. In his first public speech after his appointment, which cur cables reported a few days ago. Senator Borah announced bis intention of introducing a resolution in the Senate asking President Coolidge to call an international con-b

ferenro, including Germany and Russia, to discuss economic problems and further disarmament. In that we have the key to his foreign policy, which entails nothing less than the eml of the policy of “splendid isolation” which America .seemed to take over from Britain along with her colonies. We are not suggesting, says the -Christchurch “Press"’, that the next four years will witness Senator Borah leading a, repentant America into the League \'! Nations’ fold. But it is a Lift, that of all the “bitter-enders” in the Senate who made American participation in I'ore’gn affairs impossible all hut two have either died or been defeated at the poll. What this means is that Senator Borah will now he the spokesman of a majority instead of a minority. And when he speaks his voice will he raised for the outlawing of war, for a World Courl. disarmament, and a general settlement of war debts ami German reparations. Ife would have war outlawed as an institution or means for the settlement of international controversies by making it a public crime under the law of nations. he says in the New York Times, and would substitute an international court with jurisdiction over controversies between sovereign States, and [lower to hear and decide all purely international controversies defined hv the code outlawing war and ipiancls arising under treaties. And as both Senator Borah and President C'nolidge have declared that the World Court might ho the existing Court of International Justice, with alterations, we have at last a hint of the way in which the schism between America and tbo nations who acknowledge t.he League may he ended. 11l Hie economic field Senator Borah stands no loss for change. Tie foresees the time when the Dawes plan will break down—because it is provided that the value of German currency must not be depreciated below a certain limit by reparation payments—-end, regarding reparations and intor-Allied debts as in-tor-depondont, as France does, be would have a broad general settlement of the economic problems now obtaining throughout the world; which is certainly a wide enough order of refer-

mice to include debts and reparations. Senator Borah stands also for less 111terferonee with Latin America, heioving that the proposition of protecting American lives and property as a principle is correct but covers a multitude of sins. It is not to be expected that such a radical programme will be carried without much opposition. »'--t it would, if carried, guarantee a better world. -Senator Borah’s advocacy of America, ll recognition of Russia. for instance—not because lie considers that the prosperity of Idaho farmers is related to the restoring of the buying [lower of European coun-tries—-has already brought him into open conflict with Mr Hughes. But there is a friendship of many years’ standing between the new Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the President, and there is practically a new Senate, so we may expect some changes during the next four years.