South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-28
FEBRUARY %, 1918.
GERMANY's NSOLENT HYPOCRISY.

Germany must. indeed. regard Americans, Canadians.
Fngushmen. Frenchmeu. Italians. and the rest of the
allied world. TO use a little slang Of the street; .
bunch Of muts"-the same as Russia, under the boil
sheviki. mas proven herself to be. The insolence ana
aldacity of the Prussian statesmen. in this respect as
quite enough to take ones breath away, and keep IT.
right In the face Of Germany perhdy toward Russia
they seem to think we viii bhndly accede to their
peace advances. and give them the same back
knitting chance at US.
Here we have Chancellor von Herting saying in the
reichstag. as though expecting to be taken seriously:
II can Fundamentally agree with the four
principles which in Prcst wilson's view must
be applied ia actual exchange Of views, and
thus declare with PRIEST Wilson that a general
peace can he discussed on such a basis"
Turning to thc president last address to congress,
we find that these four principles. representing the
ideals we are fighting for. are stated as follows:
"FIrst-That each part Of the final settle
ment must be based upon the essential justice
Of that particular case erd upon such adjust
ments as are likely to bring a Ieace that will
h. permanent.
"Second-That peoples and provinces are
not 20 be bartered about from sovereignty 10
sovereignty as if they were mere chattels and
pawus in a game. even the great game, now
forever discredted, of the balance of power;
but that
"Third-Every territorial settlement in
voIved in the war must be made in the interest
and for the benefit Of tho populations con-
cerned. and not as part Of any mere adjust
ment or compromise of claims among rival
states; and
"Fourth-That all weI-defned national
aspirations shall be accorded the utmost salts
faction that can Zoe accorded them without
introducing new or perpetuatng old elements
of discord and antagonism that would be likely
in time to break the peace of Europe and
consequently of the world"
The head Of the German government pretended to
give mis- assent to these principles, and at the very
moment he was speaking, every single one of them
was being Hagrantly broken 10y Germany in her deal
iugs with Russia.
She was forcing upon Russia peace terms that were
as FAR from being based upon the essential justice
of that particular case" as hell is from heaven.
she was deliberately "bartering about from
sovereignty to sovereignty" the Poles Lthuanians
Esthonians. Livonians and rims.
She was enforcing territorial settlement for the
benefit or Germany instead OF the ~beneHt Of the
populations concerned
she was denying the satisfaction of "weu-dehned
national ASPIRATIONS
Nothing but ruthless. constituencies grabbing Of
territories and peoples and Unemployment of a harm
less neiEhbcr and the establishment of "a tyrannous
empire in the east TO upset the future peace of
the world, appears anywhere in Germany's Russian
program.
There can DE no progress toward peace through such
cynical hypocrisy. Prest Wilson is not a Linene nor
Lloyd George % Trotzky. They are not fools enough
10 believe anything Chancellor Won Herumg says. ON
any basis of sincerity.