Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-02-14


tributions, no punitive damages. Peo-
pies are not to be handed about from
one sovereignty to another by an inter
national conference or an understand
ing between rivals and antagonists. Ma
tional aspirations must be respected,
peoples may now be dominated and
governed only by their own consent.
"Self- Determination" Imperative.
"'Self-determination is not mere
phrase, it is an imperative principle OF
action, which statesmen will hence
forth ignore at their peril. All the par
ties to this war must join in the settle
ment of every issue anywhere involved
In it, because what we are seeking is q
peace that we can all unite to guaran-
tee and maintain and every item OF 1t
must be submitted to the common judg-
ment whether it be right or fair, an act
Of justice rather than bargain be-
tween sovereigns.
"fhe United States has no desire to
interfere in European affairs or to act
as arbiter in European territorial dis
putes.
"But she entered this war because
she was made a partner, whether she
would Or not, in the sufferings and in
dignities inflicted by the military mas
tiers Of Germany, against the peace and
security of mankind. and the condl-
tons Of peace will touch her as nearly
hoy will nth
which is intrusted a leading part in
the maintenance of civilization. She
cannot see her way to peace until the
causes of this war are removed, its re-
neWal rendered, as nearly as may be,
impossible.
"The war had it's loots in the disre-
gard of the rights Of small nations and
Of nationalities which lacked the union
and the force to make good their
claim to determine their own allie
giances and their own forms Of po-
litical life.
covenants must now be entered
into which will render such things i'm
possible for the future; and those COW
enants must be backed by the united
force Of all the nations that love JUS
tice and are willing to maintain it at
any cost.
"COunt Won Hertling wants the es-
sential bases Of commercial and indus
trial life to be safeguarded by COM
mon agreement and guaranty, but he
cannot expect that to be conceded him
If the other matters to be determined
by the articles Of peace are not handled
in the same way as items in the final
accounting.
"No Foundation for Peace"
''He cannot ask the benefit Of COM
mon agreement in the one field with
out according it in the other. [ take
it for granted that he sees that sepa-
rate and selfish cOmpacts with regard
to trade and the essential materials Of
manufacture would afford no fOunda-
ton for peace. Neither, he may rest
assured, will separate and selfish COM
pacts with regard to provinces and
peoples.
"Count Czernin seems to see the
clear eyes and does not seek to OBJ
scure them. He sees that an independ
ent Poland, made up Of all the indis-
putably Polish peoples who lie con-
tiguous to one another, is matter Of
European concern, and must, of course,
be conceded; that Belgium must be
evacuated and restored, no matter
what sacrifices and concessions that
may involve, and that national aspira~
tons must be satisfied even within his
Europe and mankind.
"After all, the test Of whether it
is possible for either government to
90 any further in this comparison Of
views is simple and obvious.
Principles to Be Applied.
The principles to be applied are
these:
81. That each part of the final set
tlement must be based upon the essen
tial justice of that particular cause
and upon such adjustments as are most
likely to bring peace that will be per-
manent.
"2. That peoples and provinces are
not to be bartered about from SOW
ereignty to sovereignty as if they were
mere chattels and paWns in a game,
even the great game, now forever dis
credited, of the balance of power;
but that,
"3. Every territorial settlement in
volved in this war must be made in
the interest and for the benefit Of the
populations concerned and not as a
part of any adjustment or compromise
of claims among rival states; and
81 That all well defined national
aspirations shall be accorded the ut
most satisfaction that can be accord
ed them without introducing new or
perpetuating old elements of discord
and antagonism that would be likely
to break the peace of Europe and con-
sequently Of the world
OnIv GERMANY Fails fo Concur