The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1916-12-28
What Will
Be Scenes in
Peace Drama
Prof. Shepherd, Famous Historian
Tells Probable Steps if Ma
tions Get Together
URGES RESTORATION OF
POLAND AS BUFFER
international Court of Arbitra'
ton To Settle Disputes Be-
tween World Powers
By KENNETH W. PAYNE.

-. BY KENNETH W. PAYNE.
New York, Dec. 2S-What will be
the probable synopsis of scenes in the
great drama Of the worlds march to-
ward peace which now seems to be un-
rolling before our eyes?
Will a conference of the belligerents
be held?
Will Uncle Sam sit in on such con-
ference?
What are the probable steps before
and after the conference in question?
These were the questions of vital in
terest to every spectator of contemt
porary world history which I took to
one Of the real authorities in this
country on the methods and history Of
international conferences.
An Authority.
Prof. William R. Shepherd, head OF
the department of history in Columbia
university, has himself been a dele
gate to several important information
al conferences and has been one of
the most clear spoken and impartial
critics in America Of the international
complications arising from the Euro
pean war. A student of history in Ber-
lin and Madrid, an honorary professor
in the University of Chile, Prof. Shep-
herd was secretary of the United
States delegation to the fourth inter-
national conference of American
states.
asked Prof. Shepherd whether the
proceedings of this historic peace con-
ference were likely to be secret.
There would probably be greater
publicity about its action than in the
case of any preceding conference"
was his answer. Let me say the
greatest use of this war has been a
tremendous advertisement of the evils
and utter futility of war. All the agen-
cies of communication and publicity
have made known the detailed hor-
rors of war in every corner OF the
world. The minds of all. people have
been so deeply stirred by, this that
they will demand just as great public
ity in the peace discussions. .a
1T is hard to say how long the peace
conference will last. Within the last
century no conference has lasted long
er than a year and usually matters
have been determined within six
mOnths.nuaI alitr -. +.laan.z..a
"Of the necessary steps toward
peace" said Prof. Shepherd, three
have already been taken. Germany
has proposed peace and Great Britain
has replied in manner less truculent
at heart than a superficial reading OF
Lloyd Georges speech indicates. Both
these efforts were directly made to en-
list the sympathy and support of the
United States and now President Will
son has responded. ID.
Exchange of Notes.
Evidently Wilson is requesting the
nations to make some statement OF
their terms. These statements could,
| think, be made more advantageous
ly in peace conference than elsewhere.
l should not be surprised to see long
interchange of notes however before
a conference is arranged. l think
though Germany will reply to Lloyd
George in a mild way, thus permitting
further negotiations, eliminating in
the conference perhaps after several
months.
"A few of the more important things
which should be done at the confer
ence are, in my opinion, the follow
ing:4 y u
Belgium should be restored and
compensated for her losses, the
amount of such compensation to be ad-
Indicated by neutral nations.
"All occupied territories in Europe
and Africa should be evacuated and
Poland erected as a buffer state.
THE conference should re-establish
the Balkan states but along more pre-
else boundaries determined by ethic
and economic lines.
Equality Of Opportunity.
Germany should be granted equal
ity of opportunity in the economic
development of the Ottoman empire.
"a method OF abolishing the So
called spheres of influence should be
agreed upon; the struggle for posses
sion of these areas inhabited by peo-
pie not of European stock having been
a fruitful source of international con.
flict.
FINALLY, on the subject of enforc'
ing future peace, the conference
should determine how % create an
international court to which disputes
would be submitted; each nation to
furnish a part of its army and navy
to enforce the DEGREES of the court"
Since both the German and British
appeals have in fact been made to the
United States, think the United
States will be invited to take part in
the conference when it is arranged.
| think the United States ought to be
invited, too, because questions of the
future guarantees of world peace will
be discussed.
The American representative would
not necessarily preside or be moder-
ator of the meetings, but l think his
viewpoint would be hardened to very
readily. If it came to a vote in the
conference, each nation represented
would probably have one vote, no mat
ter. how many delegates were sent.
But the probabilities are that all the
matters before the conference would
be settled by discussion and suasion,
each delegate having full powers, Of
course, to speak for and represent his
nation. Each decision of the confer
ence would be subject to the ratifica-
ton of the legislative bodies of the
various nations.