The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-23

10 to last, must be an equality Of
rights the guarantees exchanged
must neither recognize nor imply
difference between big nations and
small, between those that are pow.
erfuI and those that are weak.
Right must be based upon the COM
mon strength, not upon the
individual strength, Of the nations
upon whose concert peace will de-
pend.
Equality Of territory or of re-
sources there Of course cannot be; nor
any other sort of equality not gained
in the ordinary peaceful and legiti-
mate development Of the peoples them
selves. But no one asks or expects
anything more than equality of rights.
Mankind is looking now for freedom
Of life, not for equipoises of power.
Consent of Governed Necessary.
And there is deeper thing in
volved than even equality Of right
among organizations.
"No peace can last or ought to
last, which does not recognize and
accept the principle that govern
nents derive all their just powers
from the consent Of the governed
and that no right anywhere exists
to hand peoples about from sover-
eighty to sovereignty as If they
were property.
kdo!w. .aretibutoseo
II take it for granted, for instance,
il l may venture upon a single
example, that statesmen everywhere
are agreed that there should be a
united, independent and autonomous
Poland and that henceforth inviolable
security of life, Of worship and Of
industrial and social development
should be guaranteed to all peoples
who have lived hitherto under the
power of governments devoted to
faith and purpose hostile to their own.
Il speak of this, not because Of any
desire to exalt an abstract political
principle which has always been held
very dear by those who have sought
to build UP liberty in America, but
for the same reason that have
spoken of the other conditions of
peace which seem to be clearly indis-
pensable-because wish frankly to
uncover realities.
Must Give All Access to Sea.
Amy peace which does not recognize
and accept this principle will newt
ably be upset. 1t will not rest upon
the affections or the convictions of
mankind. The ferment of spirit of
whole populations will fight subtly
and constantly against it and all the
"The world can be at peace only
it it's life is stable and there can
be no stability where the will is in
rebellion; where there 10 not tran
quality of spirit and q sense of JUS
tice and freedom and right.
$50 far as practicable, moreover,
every people now struggling toward a
full development of it's resources and
of it's powers should be assured a
1zk - IL
the seas. Where this cannot be done
by the cession of territory it can no
doubt be done by the naturalization of
direct rights Of way under the general
guaranty which will assure the peace
itself. With right comfy of ar
rangements no nation need be shut
away from free access to the open
paths of the worlds commerce.
And the paths of the sea must alike
in law and in fact be free.
Freedom of Seas Basis of Peace.
"The freedom of the seas is the sine
qua non Of peace, equality and CO.
operation. No doubt a somewhat radi-
cal reconsideration of many of the
rules of international practice hither-
to sought to be established may be
necessary in order to make the seas
indeed free and common in practical
ly all circumstances for use of man
kind, but the motive for such changes
is convincing and compelling. There
can be no trust or intimacy between
the peoples of the world without
them.
1.-THE free, constant, unthreaten-
ed intercourse Of nations 10 an es-
sential part of the process of peace
and of development. 1t need not
be difficult to define or to secure
the freedom of the seas IL the COW
ernments of the world sincerely
desire to come to an agreement
concerning il.
1T is problem closely connected
with the limitation OF naval arma-
ments and, the cooperation of the
navies of the world in keeping the
seas at once free and safe.
Armament Limitation Factor.
And the question Of limiting naval
armament opens the wider and per.
haps more difficult question of the linz
itation Of armies and Of all programs
OF military preparation. Difficult and
delicate as these questions are, they
must be faced with the utmost candor
and decided in a spirit of real accom-
mediation If peace is to come with heal
ing in its wings and come to stay.
"Peace cannot be had without
concession and sacrifice. There can
be no sense of safety and equality
among the nations If great pre-
ponderating ornaments are hence
forth TO continue here and there
TO be built up and maintained.
| The Statesmen Of the world must
plan for peace and nations must
I adjust and accommodate their
| policy to IL az they have planned
for war and made ready for pitt
less contest and rivalry.
1.-THE question of armaments, wheth-
er on land or sea. is the most immedi-
| ately and intensely practical question
connected with the future fortunes of
nations and of mankind
Speaks for "Friends of Humanity"
Il have spoken upon these great
matters without reserve and with the
utmost explicitness because 1t has
seemed to me to be necessary If the
worlds yearning desire for peace was
anywhere to find free voice and utter
ance.
Perhaps / am the only person in
high authority amongst all the peo-
pies of the world who is at liberty to
speak and hold nothing back. am
speaking as an individual, and yet
am speaking also, OF course. as the
- Il.