The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-01

other parts OF the line.
There Is an apparent halt in ma
jor operations in the Vcrdun region
and the great campaign the Italians
are waging against the Austrians.
40 we can see. involve a recuperatipn
OF its strength and renewal Of its
policy: would make it necessary to
create q permanent hostile combina-
tion Of nations against the German
people. who are its instruments, and
would result In abandoning the new
born Russia to the intrigue. the
manifold subtle interference and the
certain counterrevolution which
would be attempted by all the malign
influences to which the German gov
ernment has Of late accustomed the
world. Can peace be based upon a
restitution Of it's power or upon any
word Of honor 1t could pledge in a
treaty Of settlement and accommoda-
ton?
Irresponsible statesmen, must now
everywhere see. II they never saw
before. that TO peace can rest Sc
curely upon political or econemic
restitutions meant to benefit some ma
tions and cripple or embarrass otn-
era. upon vindictive action or any
sort or any kind OF revenge or do.
liberate injury. The American people
have suffered intolerable wrongs at
the hands Of the imperial German
government. but they desire no re-
prisal upon the German people who
have themselves suffered all things
In this war. which they did not
choose. They believe that peace
should rest upon the rights Of peo-
pies. not the rights Of governments
the rights Of peoples. Ereat or small.
weak or powerful-their equal right
to freedom and security and self
government and TO participation
upon fair terms In the economic op-
Of the worltl-the German
people Of course included. IL they
will accept equally and not seek domi-
nation.
The test, therefore. of every plan
Of peace Is this: Is 1t based upon the
faith Of all the peoples involved or
merely upon the word of an ambitious
and intriguing government. on the
one hand, and Of group of free
peoples on the other? This is a test
which goes to the root Of the matter;
and II Is the test which must be ap-
piled.
The purposes Of the United States
I'm this war arc known to the whole
world-to every people to whom the
truth has been permitted to come.
They do not need to be stated again
We seek no material advantages of
any kind. We believe that the in
tolerable wrongs done in this war by
the furious and brutal power Of the
imperial German government ought
to be repaired. but not at the expense
OF the sovereignty Of any people
rather a vindication Of the sovereignty
both Of those that are weak and Of
those that are strong. Punitive dam
ages. the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of empires
the establishment of selfish and ex-
elusive economic leagues we deem in
expedient and In the end worse than
futile. nor proper basis for q peace
OF any kind, least OF all for an en-
during peace. That must be based
upon Justice and fairness and the
common rights of mankind
I'VE can not take the word of the
present rulers OF Germany as a guar.
antee Of anything that is to endure.
unless explicitly supported by such
conclusive evidence OF the will and
purpose Of the German people them.
selves as the other peoples OF the
world would he justified in accepting
such guarantees. treaties of
settlement. agreements for disarma-
ment. covenants to set up arbitra-
tion I'm the place Of force, territorial
adjusts. reconstruction OF small ma
tions if made with the German gov
ernment no man. no nation could
now depend on. We must await some
now evidence OF the purposes OF the