The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-22

ooqo Made BY Pontn Include Return of Invaded Ter
ac1y and Colonies and Settlement of Vexed Question.
" Natioaalty at Conference of Nations After
Hoetlities End.

IN their hands the destinies of ma.
TONS But In order no longer to
speak In general terms as the circum.
stances had counseled us in the past
we now wish to make q more con-
crete and practical proposal and to
invite the governments of the bellig-
erents to come to an agreement up
on the following points which seem
to be a basis of a just and durable
peace. leaving to them the task OF
and completing them.
First Of all the fundamental points
must be that the material force Of
arms be substituted by the moral
force Of right from which shall arise
fair agreement by all for the SIM
ultaneous and reciprocal diminution
OF armaments according to the rules
and guarantees to be established, IT.
a measure necessary and sufficient
for the maintenance of public orde,
In each State. Then In the substitu-
tion for armies the institution Of ar
bitration with Its high pacifyine
function. according to the rules to b,
laid down and the penalties to be
imposed on state which would re.
fuse either to submit nationa'
question to arbitration or to accep
Its decision.
"Once the supremacy Of right ha
thus been established all obstacles tc
the means Of communication of tn.
peoples would disappear by ASSURING
by rules to be fixed later, the true
liberty and community Of the secs
which would contribute to the nu-
merous causes Of conflict and woulG
also open to all new sources of pros
perity and progress.
"As to the damages to be repaired
and as to the war expenses, we sec
no other means Of solving the ques
tion than by submitting as a genera
principle the complete and reciproca
oondonation which would be justified
moreover by the immense benefit t,
be derived from disarmament sc
much so that no one will unGerstan.
the continuation Of similar carnag.
solely for reasons Of an economic or
der.
For certain cases there exist par.
ticular reasons. and they would be e.
liberated upon with justice and equity
but these pacific agreements with the
immense advantages to be derived
from them are not possible without q
reciprocal restitution Of the territory
at present occupied.
Consequently on the part of Ger.
many the complete evacuation Of Bel.
gium with the guarantee Of her full
political. military and economic in.
dependence towards 1t.
Tho evacuation Of French terri
tory. On the part Of other belliger.
ent parties: similar restitution OF tn.
German colonies.
"As regards the territorial oues
tions. az for example those whicf
have arisen between Italy and Aus
tria and between Germany and Franc,
there Is reason to hope that in con
Of the immense advan
tages Of a durable peace with dis.
armament. the parties In conf,ic,
would wish to examine them with
conciliatory disposition. taking into
consideration as we have said form
erly the aspirations of the peoples
and the special interests and OF tho
general welfare Of the great human
society.
The same spirit OF equity and
Justice ought to be followed IN tho
examination of other territorial and
political questions notably those re
iative to Armenia and the Balkan
states and territories making n mart
OF the ancient kingdom of Poland
whose noble and historical traditions
and sufferings which it has endur.
ed' especially during the present war
ought to conciliate the sympathies Of
nations.
such are the principal bases
whereupon we believe the future ra-
organization Of the peoples ought N
ne built. They are of a nature 20
render impossible the return OF sim.
liar conflicts and to prepare a solu.
ton Of the economic questions So
important for the future and for tho
material well being Of all bclligercnt
states.
Therefore, in presenting to you
who direct at this hour the destinies
OF the belligerent nations, we are
animated to see them accented and n
h.