Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-18

Nas ~ ~ XII x
"Evid4atly. heweyer, SucA fitoriAl
re- arrangementA ting tHey may
diminiahs 4ke SoccassonS N war. pro-
vide no sufficient security against Its
recurrence. II Germany, or rather
those in Germany who noH3ld its opin-
ions and Control It's destinies, again
set out to domineer the world, they
may find that by the new order Of
things the adventure is made more
difficult, but hardly is it made i'm
possible. They may still have ready
to their hand a political system or
ganized thru and thru on military
basis; they may still accumulate vast
stores of military equipment they
may still persist in their methods OF
attack; so that their pacific neighbors
viii be struck down before they can
prepare themselves for defense. II so,
Europe when the war Is over. will be
far poorer in men. in money and IN
mutual good will than II 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 fulfillment.
Treaties No Protection.
There are those who think that for
this disease international treaties and
international laws may provide sunni
cient cure. But such persons have
ill-learred the lessons so clearly taught
by recent history. While other ma
iions, notably the United States OF
America and Britain. were striving by
treaties of arbitration to make sure
that no chance quarrel should mar the
peace they desired to make perpetual.
Germany stood aloof Her historians
and philosophers preached the spiend-
ors OF war: power was proclaimed as
the true end of the state; and the gem
eral staff forged with unt.rins in
dustry the weapons by which at the
appointed moment power might be
achieved. These facts proved clearly
enough that treaty arrangements Tor
maintaining peace were rot likely to
find much favor at Berlin; they did
not prove that such treaties once
made would be utterly Intellectual
This became evident only when war
had broken out: tho the demonstration.
when it came. was Overwhelming. so
long as Germany remains the Germany
which without a shadow of justifica-
ton overran and barbaronsiy Ill
treated a country il was pledged TO
defend. no state can regard its rights
as secure If they have no better pro-
lection than solemn treaty.
Policy Of Intimidation.
The case is made worse eS 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 al
war. hut to intimidate those with
whom they were still at peace.
IF then the central powers sue
coed. ii will be to methods Ike these
that they viii owe their success. How
can any reform of international re-
lations be based on a peace thus OBJ
ta!ned9 Such a peace would repre-
sent the. triumph of all the forces
which make war certain and make IL
brutal. 1t would advertise the futiiity
of all the methods on which civilization
relies 10 eliminate the occasions Of
international dispute and 10 mitigate
their ferocity. Germany and Austria
made the present war inevitable by at
lacking the rights Of one small state,
and they gained their initial tr!umphs
by violating the treaty guarantees OF
the territories OF another. Are small
states going to hnd in them their
future protectors or in treaties made
by them a huiwark against agrees
sion2
Must Meet Conditions.
Tho therefore the people OF this
country share to the full desire of the
president for peace, they do not be-
lsye< peace capNe durable il II be not