Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-30
Or. Eliot's Peace inference Plan

OF force" u one which the UnlteA
States could never submit. to such z
conference until It has abandoned ~
clear declaration Of President WllSoa
on that subject:
"A steadfast concert for peace ca
never he maintained except by partf
nership OF democratic nations. M
autocratic government could be trusted
to keep faith within 1t or observe ia
covenants. 1t must be a league OF
honor, q partnership of opinion InfI
trigue would eat it's vitals away, tht
plottings Of inner circles who could
plan what they would and render &C.
count to no one would be corruption
seated at its very heart"
DR.. Eliot's proposal Is that we cam
Gel that declaration at the outset OF
our participation in the war. A. Tor
furnishing the violator OF the, agree
ment by 1.-THE use Of force" that =
just what the world Is Doing now. Ane
DR.. Eliot proposes that We give 1t W
and negotiate with the violator hefoso
we have punished him. It would NOS
be good augury for the next time
we have that punishment to inhict on
the same offender, and that time
would come soon.
He proposes that .the freedom o.
the seas in times Of peace be dis
cussed; but the seas are free now IN
times OF peace, as free as the air. ana
no guarantees are required. The only
object Of raising the question would be
to propose the curtailment or abolition
Of the British navy. which Is Eng
lands sole defense against future Ger,
man aggression; and England would
send no delegate, official or unofficial,
to discuss that impossibility. He pro-
poses disarmament. but no disarma-
ment agreement can be negotiated
with the Germany of today. the scrap
of-paper Germany; nor would France
or England disarm until Germany had
done so. Some day the world hopes
to discuss that very question with the
German people. but it Is sub1ect
which 1t will never waste Its time oy
discussing with the kaiser.
TIL rest OF Dr.. Eliot's proposals AL
rest on the same basis-trust In the
kaisers word. In form they appear
to have an equality which they have
not in fact; for in form they propose
to trust the words Of all the nations
In the conference. But this seeming
fairness conceals an essential unfair
ness: for the word Of the kaiser's gov-
eminent is not good. like the words OF
other governments, contract IN
which a well-established and honorable
fire insurance company should enter
into an agreement with professional
firebug would have no element OF
equality: the insurance company would
- N;ca % q Of
DR.. Eliot's proposals like all other
proposals, strike on the same rock.
We come back always to Mr. BAL
four's profound declaration that peace
must be negotiated with a Germany
~either powerless or free" and Win
no other. We can make no peace
which shackles our children to mill
tarism. The defenders Of liberty ana
democracy have fought on for three
years without result. as they had IN
l77s and again in 1854, but they did
not grow irresolute and talk Of stale
mates then, and we shall be unwor-
thy OF them and the blood they shed
II we do so now. The blood OF Long
Island and Gettysburg, OF Bunker Hi'i
ana fredericksburg. must not nave
been shed uselessly. 1t - for ~. ths
living. rather to be dedicated here 70
the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far 10 nobly
advanced It is rather for Us to be
here dedicated to the great task re-
naming before us-that from these
honored dead we take increased devo-
ton to that cause for which they gave
the last full measure Of devotion: that
we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain New
York Times.