The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-07

lHt bSIIldlS laws Taught lllcll CERTAIN
bitter lessons and aroused enduring
anXieties. The Englishman was almost
childlike in his faith in the validity Of
documents like the treaty guaranteeing
the neutrality of Belgium. The British
ministry which was in power m the
held up to scorn for centuries to come
because Of the extent to which II
trusted the assurances of German pub
lie men.
England was caught unawares be-
cause she trusted Germany. France had
the lesser trust, the better knowledge,
but France sees a reason why the writ
ten guarantees which Germany gave be-
fore 1914 and violated then would have
a different character If Germany should
make them all over again. The diff
Guilty with the league Of nations idea
Is that its basis must be international
trust. And It Is not possible and will
not be possible in our lifetime to re-
store confidence in Germany among the
nations who have had in the present
terrible years a full realization of the
German methods and the German spirit.
goes to Europe to impose a league of
nations upon the world, If 1t does UNI
dertake this task, 1t viii find itself
instantly confronted by the friendly but
not less determined opposition of the
masses Of the nations which have suf-
ltICu ~ NGIlilall III III tlC Dl VSClll
war, In direct ~contravention of Ger
man pledges before the war broke out,
A league of nations which was made
up OF races seeking the anne enlight-
ened goals by similar courses, having
the same regard for honor, good faith,
humanity, that is not a difficult thing
to arrange. But for four years-for four
and forty years-the German has used
the same words to mean a totally diff
ferent thing. and who on the top OF
this earth can believe him today when
he uses words which in other mouths
might mean honorable things, but in
his mouth may mean anything?
Wrong Ideas.
In the early part of this war a con-
certed and ~purposeful effort was made
in this country to establish the idea
that all the European nations were
equally responsible for this war and
were all seeking selfish ends. 1t took
a long time to uproot this idea; there
are traces left OF 1t even now and
signs which point 10 a new effort to
| exploit this view. But In the main we
know better now and we shall know
still more exactly when our 1000, 600
soldiers come home, bringing with them
their W judgment upon the German
as he Is and he is likely to remain for
a long time to come.
But either all the European nations
are equally criminal nations, In which
case 1t may be VI holy, If somewhat
risky mission, to compel them to lay
aside their evil ways n under our
supreme and enlightened directing en-
roll In a new international organization,
leaving their guns II their sticks at
the door, or else there Is a difference
between nations and therefore an i'm
possibility that these nations with diff
ferent ideals and moral codes should
ever, or at least should while their diff
ferences exist, associate on such terms
our European allies are prepared tc
make almost any sacrifice that W G
may ask. their gratitude Is unmistaka
BILE, but there Is one thing that they
things as they are not because we do
they can not see the German as he
isn't because 4 portion OF our public,
who have not encountered him in this
war and in Europe Insist upon seeing
him their own way. And since the
man In the same way and not in any
other, we had better give up trying
to impose our view. For in doing this
we shall make enemies of our friends
without In the least succeeding In
making friends Of our enemies.
The peace congress has to deal will
Germany as the court of law deals
with n criminal. 1t has to punish the
criminal nation for its crimes. The
punishment consists in compelling thai
/ nation TO make reparation in money
and In kim for wanton destruction ant
to restore stolen provinces. To make
Germany pay one-quarter OF the costs
OF the war, the wal which she pre-
cipitated for selfish profit, will be t
put her In a state of poverty for dec.
AIDES TO come. If. in addition, the ma
tons she has wronged, either collec.
lively or separately, boycott German in,
dustries, n there are millions OF PEG.
pie who will do this personally in any
case, then German industry will ht
practically ruined,
May Repeat.
To escape the Just sentence, tn,
equitable consequences of her crimes
Germany, whether socialist or Hohen-
~2ollern, will agree to anything; she
will use every effort to maneuvel
around the league OF nations discus.
sions In such shape as to escape pay,
incentive are seeing evidences Of this
purpose every day, But II she makes
promises, win she keep them7 And Il
she doesn't. then the French and tn,