The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-23
PEACE MUST RI BASED
--- UPON RIGHT PRINCIPLES

And there Is deeper thing in
yolved than ever equality OF right
among organized nations. No peace
can last. or ought to last. which docs
not recognize and accept the principle
that governments derive all their Just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned, and that no right anywhere ex-
lists to hand peoples about from soy
creignty 70 sovereignty as If they
were property.
II take 1t for granted, for instance.
II l may venture upon single ex-
ample. that statesmen everywhere are
agreed that there should be a united.
Independent. and autonomous Poland
and that henceforth invlolable
security of life. Of worship. and Of in
dustrial and social development
should be guaranteed to all peoples
who have lived hitherto under the
power Of governments devoted to A
faith and purpose hostile to their
own.
Il speak OF this not because OF any
desire to exalt an abstract political
principle which has always been held
very dear by those who have sought
TO build up liberty in America, but
for the same reason that I have
spoken OF the other conditions of
peace which seem to me clearly in
dispensable. because ] wish frankly
to uncover realities Any peace which
does not recognize and accept this
principle will inevitably be upset It
will not rest upon the affections or
the convictions OF mankind. The fer
ment OF spirit Of whole populations
will fight suhtly and constantly
against 1t, and all the world Will
syInpathize. Tho world can be at
peace only II it's life is stable. and
there can be no stability where the
Will is in rebellion. where there Is not
tranquility of spirit and a sense of
Justice, Of freedom and of right.
AID SHOULD HAVE DIRECT
OUTLET TO THE SEA
80 far as practicable, moreover.
every great people now struggling
towards a full development OF it's re
sources and Of Its powers should be
assured n direct outlet to the great
highways of the sea. Where this can
not be done by the cession Of terri
tory, II can no doubt de done by the
naturalization OF direct rights of way
under tho general guarantee which
VIII assure the peace itself. with a
right comfy of arrangement no ma
ton need be shut away from free
access to the open paths of the world's
commerce.
And the paths OF the sea must
alike in law and in fact be free. The
freedom of the seas is the sine qua
! non of peace. equality and co-opera
! ton No doubt a somewhat radical
I reconsideration OF many OF the rules
/ Of international practice hitherto
] sought to be established may be
| necessary IN order to make the seas
/ indeed free and common In practical
ly all circumstances for the use OF
mankind but the motive for such
/ changes is convincing and compelling.
/ There can be no trust or intimacy be-
/ tween the peoples of the world with
| out them: The free, constant, IN
! threatened intercourse of nations is
an essential part of tho process OF
! peace and development. 1t need not
be difficult to define or to secure the
| freedom OF the seas IL the govern
ments OF the world sincerely desire to
come to an agreement concerning II.
GENERAL LIMITATION OF
ARMAMENTS ESSENTIAL
Il, IN "A problem closely connected
WIN trs limitation OF naval armament
ard ssse cooperation of the navies OF
sm mtfss IN keeping the seas at once
sr@s ss-< safe. And the question OF
" fes5aastgF LAVAL fnAInentS opens the
e~@S-st sc perhaps more difficult ques-
ss,ss ~ s&s limitation Of armies and OF
az yrpssafss Of military preparation
't}@sesslt and delicate as these ques-
tiorss are, they must be faced with the
tsfsaost candor and dectied In spirit
~ real accommodation II peace is to
come with healing in Its wings, and
come to stay. Peace cannot be had
without concession and sacrifice. There
can be no sense of safety and equality
among the nations II great prepon-
derating ornaments are henceforth to
continue and here and there to be
built up and maintained The states
men of the world must plan for peace
and nations must adjust and accom-
modate their policy to it as they have
! planned for war and made ready for
pitiless contest and rivalry. The ques-
ton of ornaments, whether on land
or sea, is the most Immediately and
intensely practical question connected
with the future fortunes of nations
and of mankind
Il have spoken upon these great
matters without reserve and with the
utmosr explicnness becauye It has