Evening journal., 1918-11-01

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treaty should be II It is going to end the
war.
"The third Of Mr.. Wilson's fourteen
points demands: Trade. equality among
nations consenting to the peace Well,
somebody who believed in protection
read that through and said what the
President Is after here Is universal
free trade. That Is what good many
persons thought. The Englishman
didn't know exactly what he thought,
but senator Simmons, Of the Ways
and Means Committee, having heard
this rumble, wrote letter 90 the
President, and the President wrote
another letter, in which he said he did
not mean universal free trade, but
meant a glorifled, mOst-favored nation
clause. II I understand it-Qnd II
don't understand it, it illustrates the
point ! am making-it means that reel
prOeity agreements would be barred
without the consent OF all the nations
OF the world. Il means that n Canada
and we wish 10 enter an agreemnt that
It would be barred by this provision
that Il would have TO get the agree
ment Of all the nations OF the world
FIRST. You say that is not what Il
means. say you have a right TO argue
the point as to what It does mean. A
treaty is a contract a meeting Of minds,
and must be such II a treaty Is TO be
effective 10 keep the peace thereafter.
Now let US take up the fourth OF
the fourteen points which provides for
reduction OF armaments.' Well what
is the point consistent with domestic
safety and what are adequate safe
guards? Do you understand that?
think / understand it. But it isn't the
basis Of a treaty, It IS an expression Of
an ideal, but when you come to say
what the interest OF the people may be
1t is an entirely different mater. To
attempt to make that point a basis for
a treaty provision, It seems TO me,
would be an absurdty. Even assum-
ing that Il does mean something seri-
Gus, 1t leaves open the question whether
we shall disarm ourselves before Ger
many is completely disarmed When
we arrest a criminal and find a revolver
upon him, we take the revolver away
and we don't give up the pOliceman's
club that brings that revolver out.
we now come TO the NTH OF the
Presidents points, the one which calls
for the impartial adjustment OF colonial
claims, with regard 20 the voice Of the
inhabitants. Do you understand that?
/ think ! understand it, but 10 Is not
the basis for treaty. Il is an aspira-
tion and an ideal. But when you seek
to decide what the interests Of a local
people may be you have a Job on your
hands that IS not helped by that state
ment. II does not mean anything def
mite upon which you can base a treaty
claim. To what colonies does Il re-
fer2 To those Of Germany? Those
are the ones to which IL naturally
would refer. but TO which II makes
no definite reference. Does II refer 10
the colonies OF Great Britain and
France, or to some other colonies
Why, there is as much night in that
particular clause as there Is between
cats in a barrel. ] am not criticizinl
the idea OF making il an item in
treaty, but II we take this as a basis IN,
Germans must be invited up. 90 tht
table and asked. What do you think
What is your idea OF the weight q
be given TO thatg As / view it the
fourteen points set forth by President
Wilson simply provide texts for dit
ferences and for discussion. / think
that there are limitations TO which we
may aspire, but insist they canndt be
made the bases for a treaty. They do
not I'LL that measure at all. They sim
ply pave the way for treaty by nego-
tiation, to which Americans are unalter-
ably opposed. Then we come TO specific
provisions as 10 countries. The first
provides for the evacuation Of all Rus
sian territory and assurances OF her
unhampered opportunity for political
and economic development. That Is
very Indefinite, a good genera. flowing
statement In favor OF popular govern
ment But who constitute the unity Of
the people? Shall we have White RUS
sia, Ukrania or the Baltic provinces. or
some OF the other sections OF Russia 2
All those things will have 10 be settled
in The case OF Russia just as they will
have to be settled In the cases Of Bel
gium, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary.
Servia, Montenegro. Bulgaria, Turkey
and Poland
Kicking German Army Out.
And then we have in those fourteen
points a demand for the evacuation and
restoration OF Belgium. What does
that mean-that the German army
must get out2 That is easyl We are
kicking them Outt- France Is 10 be
freed and the invaded portions OF
France are TO he restored. What does
that mean? Nothing is said there about
indemnities at all. Does it mean that
we are TO compel Germany 10 pay for
the Outrages that she committed? Il
does not say so. Germany does not
think it means that. At the time that
these fourteen points came out the
German ReichStag had passed a resO-
luton for peace without indemnities.
Then President Wilson SAYS that the
wrong against France is to be righted
in the matter Of Alsace and Lorraine.
The Germans say there are more Ger
mans in Alsace-Lorraine than there are
French. They want to constitute Al
sace-LOrraine a buffer state between
France and Germany and 10 give 10
those two provinces governmental
autonomy. In fact, the Germans
seem to think that President Wilson's
eighth point means such adjustment.
| disagree with them. ! believe 10
means the delivery back TO France Of
those two provinces, but l also realize
that II gives to Germany an oppOr-
tunity to use it as an argument around
the peace table ! submit to you as
fair men, as Americans with discrim-
nation and with minds and with sense
and logic, are those terms such as you
can make into a treaty Of peace and
mean anything that Will be so def
mite as TO accomplish anything? II
not. then the only way is sitting up
with those with whom we make II
and make II a peace by negotiation.