The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-08-08
aAFTER.THE.wAR FAn.Aclrs.n

The discussion Of after-the-war problems by British
and German writers Isl of considerable interest to Amer
cans although it is just well to bear in mind the i'm
possibility Of foreeasng with any assurance the eondi-
ton and surroundings Of any nation after the war; Every
nation is affected by the war; and it does not know even
how deeply it is affected Perhaps several years Of
peace must elapse before the nations will know how
and to what extent the has affected their commercial
or industrial life.
It is notable that both German and British writers
and speakers dwell upon what they deem to be- the
dinal necessity Of securing adequate supply Of raw
materials not by treaty with nations controlling such
materials but by actual ownership. The German writers
hold that the will be in vain If Germany does not
emerge from it with herag flying over regions furnish
ing essential raw materials so that the empire will be
selfcOntained and selfsuppOrting Many British pub
cists to hold the view with respect to the
British empire.
Is not this an unconscious admission by these nd
vduals that they expect another and anxious
to be better prepared for it?
If this is to end blythe defeat Of German mitarism
and if peace to be based upon the fundamental rule of
government by of the governed backed by an
agreement in which the nations constitute themselves
league to enforce peace why should any nation
itself with securing all the raw materials necessary for
making successful war? The question answers itself
It exposes the purbnd reasoning Of the foreign pub
csts who utterly unable to picture state Of affairs
afte rhe different from that which prevailed before
the The tendency is to revert an imaginary and
obsolete status quo.
Would it not be better for all nations if the discussions
of afterthewar conditions were suspended? Nothing
be settled now Nothing be fOreseen Every
effort to restore ante-belum conditions is drag upon
efficiency For great part Of the world 1t can be
said most positively that there cannot be return to
antebelum conditions The world cannot turn back to
1914. Much has been learned which cannot be UNI
learned One lesson taught by the war is that the ma
lions dare not risk their lives again by neglecting to
league together for mutual protection They must and
will meet in council. No great nation will be missing
from the council table, for its absence would be equiv
alent to notice that its hand was raised against all the
others
Another fact taught by. this war is that men no
longer be ruled by sefapponted autocrats Nations
emerging from the masses Of peoples long held in OPP
preston by rapacous dynastes The wars great object
is to complete this process of liberation of nations
Assuming that the allied powers will be victorious it'll
must be assumed that there will not remain under the
flag of any enemy government any submerged nation
That the first point in any peace treaty that viii be
written.
Therefore, II the nations to league together for
the preservation Of their separate Identifies and if all
nations are to be enabled to establish government upon
consent of the governed there necessity whatever
for gathering under flag all the materials for
The league of nations being strong enough to preserve
the worlds peace. will be strong enough to procure
friendly interchange of materials among the nations
It is falacy to advocate national selfsuiciency in
war materials industrial materials transportation IA
ctes Has not this driven home the eternal truth
that nations do not ivetO themselves aOne9 Washing
ton Post.