South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-28

associated against Germany and OF
the nations whom they govern. as
I believe IL 20 be. TO achieve by the
coming settlements a secure and
lasting peace. il Will be necessary
that all who sit down at the peace
table shall come ready and willing
TO pay the price, the only price
that will procure il; and ready and
willing also, to create in some virile
fashion the only instrumentality by
which II can be made certain that
the agreements Of the peace will be
honored and fulfilled
Impartial Justice.
That price is impartial Justice
in every item OF the settlement. no
matter whose interest is crossed.
and not only impartial justice but
also the satisfaction OF the several
peoples whose fortunes are dealt
with. That Indispensable instru-
mentality is a league Of nations
I formed under covenants that will
/ be efficacious. Without such an in
strumentalitv. by which the peace
/ OF the world can be guaranteed.
peace will rest in part upon the
word Of outlaws and only upon that
word. For Germany will have to
] redeem her character. not by what
4 happens at the peace table, but by
what follows
/ And as I see it, the constitution
of that league Of nations and the
( clear definition Of its objects must
I he a part. is in a sense the most es-
! sential part OF the peace settlement
/ itself 1t cannot be formed now. If
/ formed now it would he merely a
new alliance confined to the ma
| tons associated against a common
enemy. It is not likely that il could
/ be formed after the settlement II
| is necessary to guarantee the peace,
and the peace cannot be guaran-
teed as an after thought
Remove the Source.
/ The reason. to speak in plain
terms again, why it must be guar
anteed is that there will be parties
to the peace whose promises have
proved untrustworthy and means
must be found in connection with
the peace settlement itself 10 re
move that source of insecurity. It
would be folly TO leave the guaran-
tee TO the subsequent voluntary &C
tion OF the governments we have
seen destroy Russia and deceive
| Roumania.
But these general terms do not
! disclose the whole matter Some
details are needed TO make them
sound less like a thesis. and more
/ like a practical program. These
then are some OF the particulars
and state them with the greater
confidence because 1 can state them
authoritatively as representing this
governments Interpretation Of it's
own duty with regard to peace:
First, the impartial justice met
/ ed out must involve no discrimi-
nation between those 10 whom we
wish to be just and those TO whom
we do not wish to be just. II must
be a justice that plays no favorites
and knows no standard but the
equal rights of the several peoples
concerned;
Second, no special or separate
interest of any single nation or any
group of nations can be made the
basis of any part of. the settlement
which is not consistent with the
common interests OF all;
I Third. there can be no league or
alliance or special covenants and
understanding with the gene raj
and common family OF the league
OF nations.
No Economic Combines.
Fourth. and more specifically.
there can be no special, selfish, eco
nomic combinations within the
/ league and no employment Of any
form OF economic boycott or exclu-
sion except as the power of eco
/ nomic penalty by exclusion from the
markets OF the world may be vested
| in the league Of nations itself as a
means of discipline and control
| Fifth. all international agree
/ ments and treaties OF every kind
must be made known in their en-
/ tirety TO the rest Of the world.
Special alliances and economic
rivalries and hostilities have been
/ the prolific sources in the modern
world Of the plans and passions that
/ produce war. 1t would be an insin-
| cere as we'll as an insecure peace,
/ that did not exclude them in definite
and binding terms.
! THE confidence with which I VEN
! ture to speak for our people in
these matters does not spring from
cur traditions merely and the well
/ known principles Of international
action which we have always pro-
/ fessed and followed. In the same
sentence in which l say that the
/ United States will enter into no spe-
/ cial arrangements or understandings
with particular nations, let me say
I also that the United States is pre-
pared 10 assume it's full share OF
| responsibility for the maintenance
/ OF the common covenants and un-
/ derstandings upon which peace must
henceforth rest.
We still read Washington's i'm
mortal warning against entangling
alliances with full comprehension
and an answering purpose. But only
special and limited alliances en-
tangle: and we recognize an accept
/ the duty Of a new day in which we
are permitted 10 hope for a gen.