The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1920. POLICING THE WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1920. POLICING THE WORLD.

We cannot police the whole world It is unfair to burden the British Empire indefinitely with the cost of policing." In making this statement in the House of Commons recently, Mr. Lloyd George asserted that the delay'in signing the Turkish Treaty was due to a desire not to proceed pending a possible settlement of the political differences in America. At the same time he expressed regret at the absence of an offer by America to protect Armenia. The object of the League of Nations was to enforce international obligations by peaceful methods, it being the intention that all the signatories should co-operate in what may be termed the policing of the world. The United States Senate has thought fit, for political reasons, to decline to ratify the Peace Treaty, which involves also j a refusal to accept the obligations under the League Covenant, although the Monroe Doctrine is expressly exempted from the understandings which are to be subject to the approval of the League. As matters stanr] at present in relation to the Peace Treaties, America has virtually left Britain to bear the brunt of the responsibility for carrying out the terms imposed, and for setting the League in motion. The position in which President Wilson is placed in consequence of the Senate nullifying his good work at the Peace Conference is certainly humiliating, but the Senate is the final arbiter on matters of foreign policy, and is asserting its authority. Had the Senate been largely composed of Democrats the impasse would never have arisen, but the majority of the Senate consists of the President's political opponents, so that the world is faced with the amazing spectacle of the most vital international compact that has ever been framed being lying up at the will of an obstinate political party in direct antagonism to the policy of the President, and utterly callous as to their action jeopardising the future peace of the whole world. When the power was conferred on the United States Senate to control the for-

?ign policy of the country independently of the President, it may reasonably be inferred that the safeguard was never intended, to be abused in such flagrant; fashion as in the ease of the ratification of a peace treaty intended to benefit the whole world, and to reduce this ratification to the level of party politics shows- there is a great falling off in the standard of international honor in a section of American politicians. It is quite possible that President "Wilson may have exceeded his authority, but it was in the greatest of all causes. It will have been noted during the discussions in the Senate that a number of petty and irritating objections were raised, from which it would appear that some Senators were not only striking at the President, but were giving vent to a feeling of jealousy of Britain and the Dominions, and yet the effect of tLeir opposition to the Treaty must be to force Britain into a still more prominent position in international affairs than has hitherto been the case. We cannot think for a moment that the great body of American citizens will subscribe to such unreasonable sentiments, but on this point the forthcoming presidential election should throw some light, as the President has notified his intention of making the ratification of the Treaty the main question of the contest. Although it is not essential that the United States should join the League of Nations in order to carry out the great work for which that body was brought into existence, yet it is certainly most desirable she should take her rightful place thereon, otherwise the League will not be thoroughly world-wide in its constitution. No nation has gained such great advantages from the war as America, but instead of working in the interests of world democracy in the future, the Senate is preventing this great country from taking its part in

the reorganisation of the nations, on a basis that will promote peac *. enlarge trade and commerce, ar.d stimulate industrial activity. Judged by the verdict of the Senate, America is made to pose" as taking a lone hand, and it may be there is some such feeling in existence, especially in view of the recent policy for building up a navy as great as, if liot greater, than that of any other nation. It has been a tradition of the United States I not to interfere in the affairs of other nations, but surely recognition must be made of the great change that has overtaken international affairs in consequence oi the war. Moreover, the lessons of the struggle should be taken to heart, otherwise • the great sacrifices made will have been in vain. New States have arisen, imposing heavy responsibilities on the great Powers —Czechoslovakia, Esthonia, Finland, Lithuania, Courland, Poland, and Jugo-Slavia. Morally, America is bound to assist in the policing duties of the world, and if she shirks her responsibility in this respect, she must inevitabty suffer in prestige as well as in honor.