The Peace Negotiations: A Personal Narrative — John Shaqi
The Peace Negotiations: A Personal NarrativeLansing, Robert
History
The Peace Negotiations: A Personal Narrative
Lansing, Robert
League of Nations; Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920); Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
It is very apparent to one, who without prejudice reviews the state of
public sentiment in December, 1918, that the trouble, which later
developed as to a League of Nations, did not lie in the necessity of
convincing the peoples of the world, their governments, and their
delegates to the Paris Conference that it was desirable to organize the
world to prevent future wars, but in deciding upon the form and
functions of the organization to be created. As to these details, which
of course affected the character, the powers, and the duties of the
organization, there had been for years a wide divergence of opinion.
Some advocated the use of international force to prevent a nation from
warring against another. Some favored coercion by means of general
ostracism and non-intercourse. Some believed that the application of
legal justice through the medium of international tribunals and
commissions was the only practical method of settling disputes which
might become causes of war. And some emphasized the importance of a
mutual agreement to postpone actual hostilities until there could be an
investigation as to the merits of a controversy. There were thus two
general classes of powers proposed which were in the one case political
and in the other juridical. The cleavage of opinion was along these
lines, although it possibly was not recognized by the general public. It
was not only shown in the proposed powers, but also in the proposed form
of the organization, the one centering on a politico-diplomatic body,
and the other on an international judiciary. Naturally the details of
any plan proposed would become the subject of discussion and the
advisability of adopting the provisions would arouse controversy and
dispute. Thus unanimity in approving a world organization did not mean
that opinions might not differ radically in working out the fundamental
principles of its form and functions, to say nothing of the detailed
plan based on these principles.
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