The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1917-12-18
PLEA OF LANsDowME
Chicago Herald

Lord LansdOWne thinks the al
lies ought to make certain declar-
atiOns of policy in order TO
strengthen the peace party in
Germany and bring the end of
the war nearer. II is impossible
t. discover on what he grounds
his optimism. 1t is extremely
simple, however, to find proof
that it is unfounded. President
Wilson has anticipated all that
is worth while in Lansdownes
peace formulate and what is vast
ly more important, has empha-
sized the essentials he omits.
Let's examine this formulate
first. The feeble and aged lord
thinks it would help things if the
allies declared that the ami
hilation of Germany as a. great
power is not desired" 1t hap
pens that President Wilson said
substantially that in his answer
to the pope, and that answer
stands as the reply of all the al
lies. He said peace was not
wanted at the expense of the
sovereignty of any people. He
declared that the Acknowledgement
of empires" was not sought.
What effect has it had on the
peace supporters in Germany to
date?
Lord Lansdowne thinks there
is a saying virtue in the assur-
ance to Germany that 1--WE do not
seek to impose on the German
people a form Of government
against their choice" They
know that already. They were
practically told that in the Presi-
dents same answer to the pope.
No responsible statesman of any
country has yet suggested that
democracy be imposed on Ger
mans against their will. Presi-
dent Wilson, while denouncing
the German government as unfit
to be trusted, merely demanded
that any promises it might make
should be accompanied by "such
conclusive evidence Of the will
and purpose of the German
peoples as the other peoples or
the world would be justified in
accepting" Has it helped much?
We should declare that 1--WE do
not desire to deny to Germany a
place among the great CONNER
oial countries" according to
Lord Lansdowne. What did !
President Wilson say in his an
swer to the pope? Exactly that. !
mo peace can rest securely upon |
political or economic restrictions |
meant to benefit some nations |
and cripple or embarass others. |
That was long before Clemenceau |
said anything about the subject. |
Did it move the Germans power
fully for peace? The evidence Of |
its effect in that direction is
painfully lacking.
He proposes assurance that
after the war we are prepared
to examine the international
problems connected with the
freedom of the seas" That man
is foolish indeed who imagines
that that distant prospect of ex-
aiming a prospect that does not
exist at all in peace times and
the Germans know that quite
well-will have much effect. He
processes a charming willingness
to discuss means of settling in
ternational disputes peacefully
that will hardly prove alluring
to a government that has here
tOfOre been the main obstacle to
such advances and that is based
on the cult, the necessity and the
of war.
So much for the strict formulate
themselves. They would be as
chaff in the wind. But behind
these utterances there is a plain
intimation of a willingness to
treat for a bargaining peace.
Lansdowne does not say so in so
many words, but if his letter does
not mean that it means nothing.
And it is here that President Will
son says what the British states
man leaves unsaid. That is that
a peace made under present con-
which is what Germany
desires most in the world, would
leave the menace Of German mill
tarism still undated and would
compel the world to remain in
an armed camp.
The President said that, even
Of a return to the status quo ante
bellum in his answer to the pope.
L 4 I