The Carlisle independent., 1917-12-06

tou eaten, Win lie, the voices OF
humanity that are in the air They
grow more audible, more articulate,
more persuasive, and they come from
the hearts of men everywhere. They
insist that the war shall not end in
Vindictiye action of any kind; that
no nation or people shall be robbed
or punished because the irresponsible
rulers of single country have them
selves done deep and abominable
wrong. 1t is this thought that has
annexations, no contributions, no
punitive indemnities." Just because
this crude formula expresses the in
stinctiye judgment as to right of plain
men everywhere, it has been made
diligent use of by the masters of Ger
man intrigue to lead the people of
Russia astray-and the people of ev-
cry other country their agents could
reach, in order that premature peace
might be brought about before au-
tocracy has been taught its final and
convincing lesson and the people of
the world put in control of their own
destinies.
But the fact that wrong use has
been made of just idea is no reason
why right use should not be made
of it.
1t ought to be brought under the
patronage of its real friends Let it
be said again that autocracy must
first be shown the utter futilNy of
its claims to power or leadership in
the modern world 1t is impossible
to apply any standard of justice SO
long as such forces are unchecked
and indicated as the present mas
tiers of Germany command. Not I'M
til that has been done can Right be
set UP as arblter and peacemaker
among the nations. But when that
has been done-as God willing it as
suredly will be-we shall at last be
free to do an unprecedented thing
and this is the time to avow our pur-
pose to DO it. We shall be free to
base peace on generosity and justice,
TO the exclusion of all selfish claims
to advantage even on the part of the
Yictors.
Let there be no misunderstanding
Our present and immediate part is
to win the war and nothing shall turn
US aside from it until it is accom-
plished. Every power and resource
We possess, whether of men, of
mOnpV or of YOatariolc ic hoipu do
voted and will continue to be de-
voted to that purpose until it is
achieved. Those who desire to bring
peace about before that purpose is
achieved | counsel to carry their ad-
vice elsewhere. We will not enter
tain it. We shall regard the war as
won only when the German people
say to US, through properly accredit-
ed representatives, that they are
ready to agree to a settlement based
upon justice and the reparation of
the wrongs their rulers have done.
They have done a wrong to Belgium
which must be repaired. They have
established a power over other lands
and peoples than their oWn-over the
great empire of Austria Hungary, over
hitherto free Balkan states, over Tur-
key and within Asia-which must be
relinquished.
Germany's success by skill, by in
dustry, by knowledge, by enterprise
we did not grudge or oppose, but
admired rather. She had built up
for herself real empire of trade and
influence, secured by the peace of the
world. We were content to abide the
riyalries of manufacture, science and
commerce that were involved for us
III her success and stand or fall as
We had or did not have the brains
and the initiative to surpass her. But
at the moment when she had con-
spicuously won her triumph of peace
she threw them away to establish in
their stead what the world will no
longer permit to be established, mil
itary and political domination by
could not excel the rivals she most
feared and hated. The peace we
make must remedy that wrong. 1t
must deliver the once fair lands and
happy peoples of Belgium and north
ern France from the Prussian con-
quest and the Prussian menace, but
it must also deliver the peoples of
Austria Hungary, the peoples of the
Balkans and the peoples of Turkey,
alike in Europe and in Asia, from the
impudent and alien domination of the
Prussian military and commercial au.
tocracy.
No Wish to Impair Austria.
We owe it, however, to ourselves
to say that we do not wish in any
way to impair or TO rearrange the
Austria-Hungarian empire. 1t is no
affair of ours what they do with their
own life, either industrially or polit-
ically. We do not purpose or desire
to dictate to them in any way. We
only desire to see that their affairs
are left in their own hands, in all
matters, great or small. We shall
hope to secure for the peoples of the
Balkan peninsula, for the people OF
the Turkish empire the right and OPP
portunity to make their own lives