Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-18

strongly that the durability of peace
must largely depend on its character and
that ne stable system of international re-
lations can be built on foundations WHICH
are essentially and hopelessly defective
This becomes clearly apparent If we
consider the main conditions which rem
dered possible the calamitieS from whicn
the world is now suffering. These were
the existence of great powers consumed
with the lust of domination in the midst
of a community of nations iii-prepareo
for defence. plentifully supplied indeed
with international laws. but with no
machinery for, enforcing them and weak
ened by the fact that neither the bounoa-
ries of the various states nor their in
ternal constitution harmonized with the
aspirations of their constituent races or
secured TO them just and equal treat
ment.
That this last evil would be greatly
mitigated if the Allies secured the
changes in the map of Europe outlined
in their joint note is manifest and l need
not labor the point.
1T has been argued. indeed, that the
expulsion of the Turks from Europe
forms no proper or logical part of this
general scheme The maintenance of the
Turkish Empire was during many gener-
ations regarded by statesmen of world
wide authority as essential to the main
tenance of Europe peace. Why, it is ask
ed, should the cause of peace be now
associated with a complete reversal OF
this traditional poiicy?'
THE answer is that circumstances
have completely changed. 1t is unnec-
essary to consider now whether the
creation of a reformed Turkey me-
dating between hostile races in the
Near East was a scheme which. had
the Sultan been sincere and the pow
ers united, could ever have been real
lied. 1t certainly cannot be realized
now The Turkey Of union and prog
reSs' is at last as barbarous and is far
more aggressive than the Turkey OF
Sultan Abdul Hamid. In the hands OF
Germany it has ceased even in appear
ance to be a bulwark Of peace and Is
openly used as an instrument of con-
Quest. Under German officers Turkish
soldiers are now fighting in lands from
which they had long been expelled and
a Turkish government controlled, sub
sidized and supported by Germany has
been guilty of rnassacres in Armenia
and Syria more horrible than any re-
corded in the history even of those IN
happy countries. Evidently the inter
ests of peace and the claims OF ma
tionality alike require that Turkish
rule over alien races shall if possible
be brought to an end and we may hope
1 III l.
rope will contribute as much TO the
cause of peace as the restoration OF
AIsace- Lorraine to France, or Italia
Irredenta to Italy, or any OF the terri
torial changes indicated in the Allied
note.
evidently, however, such terrific
rial arrangements, though they may
diminish the occasions of war, provide
no sufficient security against It's recur-
renee. If Germany, or rather those In
Germany, who mould its opinions ana
control it's destinies, again set out to
dominate the world they may find that
by the new order Of things the adven-
ture is made more difficult, but hardly
that it is made impossible. They may
still have ready to their hand poiit-
ical system organized through and
through on a military basis; they may
still persist in their methods or at
tacks, so that their more pacific nelgh-
bors will be struck down before they
can prepare themselves for defence. II
so, Europe when the war is over WI.
be far poorer in men, in money ana IN
mutual good will than il was when
the war began, but it will not be safer
and the hopes for the future of the
world entertained by the President
will be as far as ever from fulillment.
There are those who think that for
this disease international treaties and
international laws may provide sum
cient cure. But such persons have i'll
learned the lessons so clearly taught
by recent history. While other nations
notably the United States of America
and Britain. were striving by treaties
Of arbitration to make sure that no
chance of quarrel should mar the peace.
they desired to make perpetual. Ger
many stood aloof. Her historians and
philos ephers preached the splendors of
war: power was proclaimed as the true
end of the state; and the general staff
forged with untiring industry the
weapons by which at the appointed mo-
ment power might be achieved. These
facts proved clearly enough that treaty
arrangements for maintaining peace
were not likely to find much favor at
Berlin; they did not prove that such
treaties once made would be utterly in
effectual This became evident only
when war had broken out; though the
sought demonstration, when it came,
was Overwhelming. So long as Germany
remains the Germany which without
shadow of justification overran and
barbariously ill-treated a country it
was pledged to defend, no state can re-
gard its rights as secure if they have
no better protection than solemn
treaty.
The case IS made worse by the re-
Election that these methods of calcu
lated brutality were designed by the
Central Powers, not merely to crush to
the dust those with whom they were
at war. but to intimidate those with
whom she was still at peace. Belgium
was not only a victim it was an eX-
ample. Neutrais were intended to note
no which