The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-09-01

~A~ HoS~N W. oS~A az
Our response must be based upon the
stern facts and upon nothing else. 1t
is not mere cessation of arms he
desires; it is a stable and enduring
peace. This agony must not be gone
through with again, and it must be
matter of very sober judgment that
will insure us against it.
Ellis Holiness in substance proposes
that we return to the status quo ante
bellum and that then there be a gen.
eral conformation, disarmament, and
concert of nations based upon an &C.
ceptance of the principle of arbitra-
ton; that by a similar concert free
dom of the seas be established; and
that the territorial claims of France
and Italy, the perplexing problems of
the Balkan States, and the restitution
of Poland be left to such conciliatory
adjustments as may be possible in the
new temper of such a peace, due re-
gard being paid to the aspirations of
the peoples whose political fortunes
and affiliations will be involved.
Free Peoples Menaced.
ct is manifest that no part of this
program can be successfully carried
out unless the restitution of the status
quo ante furnishes a firm and salts
factory basis for it. The object of
this war is to deliver the free peoples
of the world from the menace and
the actual power of a vast military
establishment controlled by an ire
sponsible government, which, having
secretly planned to dominate the
world, proceeded to carry the plan out
without regard either to the sacred
obligations of treaty or the long es-
tablished practices and long cherished
principles of international action and
honor; which chose its own time for
the war; delivered its blow iercely
and suddenly; stopped at no barrier
either Of law or of mercy; swept a
whole continent within the tide of
blood-not the blood of soldiers only,
but the blood of innocent women and
children, also, and of the helpless
poor; and now stands baked, but not
defeated, the enemy of four-tifths OF
the world. This power is not the
German people. 1t is the ruthless
master of the German people. 1t is
no business of ours how that great
people came under it's control or sub
mitted with temporary zest to the
domination of it's purpose; but it is
our business to see to it that the his
tory of the rest of the world is no
longer left to it's handling.
No Peace on Status Quo.
ITO deal with such a power by way
of peace upon the plan proposed by
His Holiness the Pope, would, so far
as we can see, involve recuperation
of it's strength and renewal OF it's
policy: would make it necessary to
create a permanent hostile combina-
ton of nations against the German
people. who are it's instruments; and
would result in abandoning the new
born Russia to the intrigue, the mani
fold subtle interference, and the GER
tain counter-resolution which would be
attempted by all the malign influences
to which the German government has
of late accustomed the world. Can
peace be based upon a restitution OF
it's power or upon any word OF honor
it could pledge in treaty OF settle
ment and accommodation?
Irresponsible statesmen must now
everywhere see, if they never saw
before, that no peace can rest securely
upon political or economic restrictions
meant to benefit some nations and
cripple or embarrass others, upon vim
dicatiye action of any sort, or any
kind of revenge or deliberate injury.
"The American people have suffered
intolerable wrongs at the hands OF
the Imperial German government, but
thew desire no reprisal upon the Ger
man people, who have themselves sur
fered all things in this war, which
thew did not choose. They believe
that peace should rest upon the rights
of peoples, not the rights of govern
ments-the rights Of peoples great OF
small. weak or powerful-the1r equa
right to freedom and security and self
government and to participation upon
fair terms in the economic opportun
tiles of the world-the German people
Of course included, if they will accept
equality and not seek domination.
"The test, therefore, in every plan Of
peace is this: Is it based upon the
faith of all the peoples involved OF
merely upon the word of an ambitious
and intriguing government, on the one
hand, and of a group of free peoples
on the other? This is q test wnlcl
goes to the root of the matter; and II
ts the test which must be applied.
U. 8. Aims Known to World.
"The purposes of the United States
in this war are known to the whole
world-to every people to whom tn
truth has been permitted to come
They do not need to be stated again
We seek no material advantage o
any kind. We believe that the intol
cradle wrongs done in this war by tn
I