Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-01-26
Allies NEW NOTE.
PEACE LEAGUE AID
FaVOrs National Sanction as
Force Behind Treaties.
ENTENTE MUST WIN FIRST
Nations Must Agree to Enforce Treat
les, Says British Foreign Minister'S
Nose to United States.


Great Britain's supplementary
note amplyIying the entente reply
to President Wilson's peace note.
which was written by Arthur j.
Balfour, the British foreign min
lister, has given much encourage
ment to American officials who are
lowing forward to league of nations
to preserve peace after the close OF
the present war.
Although the principal portions in
Mr.. Ralfour's note are designed tC
justify the security of the terms sci
forth by the entente in their reply tC
the note of President Wilson, the for
NAL acceptance in principle of some
sort of national sanction as a force
behind treaties and international law
is regarded as Of great importance.
It has been stated officially that
President Wilson's next step has moi
been determined upon. Many officials
believe the Balfour note may afford op.
portunity for move toward the es.
tablishment of some such nationa.
sanction. Officials are watching care
fully for public expressions abroad OF
the subject.
Any steps will be most careful y
chosen, and while it is admitted that
the perfection of any such arrange
ments may be we'll in the future, the
references in the note are regarded
as encoura ging. The note explains in
detail why the allies believe it i'm
possible now to attain peace which
will assure the guarantees they con
slider essential.
The note also explains why the al
lies demand the eXrnlsion Of Turkey
from Europe, restoration Of Alsace
Lorraine to France, of Italia IRE tent
to Italy, and the other tevritoria,
changes set forth in the first note.
Those who think the future pence
of the world may be insured by inter
national treaties and laws, the note
says, have i'll learned the lessons by
recent history. After charging that
German influence in Turkey had re-
suited In conditions as barbarous and
more aggressive than were known un.
der Sultan Abdul Hamid and that il
had been shown Germany cannot be
expected to respect treaty obligations
Mr. Ralfour says:
$50 long as Germany remains the
Germany which, without shadow OF
justification, overran and barbarcusly
ill-treated country 1t was pledged tc
defend, no state can regard its rights
as secure if they have no better pro
lection than a solemn treaty"
Asserting that Belgium was not Ger.
many's only victim, and that "neutrals
were intended to note outrages which
accompanied IFS conquest" the note
recites the "reign of terror" attendant
upon Germany's method Of warfare
and in that connection says:
1.-THE war staffs of the central pew
ers are we'll content to horrify the
world if at the same time they can
terrorize it."
l4S pCODIC VI IIedI ID tISlu, h1L
Balfour says, share President VIII
sons desire for peace, but do not be
lieve it can be durable unless based
on the success of the allied cause
Such a peace. it is argued, cannot be
expected unless these three conditions
are fulfilled:
/. Existing causes of internationa!
unrest shall be as far as possible re
moved CT weakened.
2. The aggressive aims and the un
scrunulcus methods of the centra,
powers should fall into disrepute
among their own peoples.
3. Behind international law and be
hind all treaty arrangements for pre-
venting or limiting hostilities, some
form of International sanction should
be devised which would give pause tc
the hardest aggressor.
1t is recognized that these conditions
NAV be difficult of fulfillment, but the
belief is expressed that they are in
general harmony with President vii
sons ideas.