The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-12-07
when he started his ruthless

when he started his ruthless sea
slaughter. -~.
1t is very difficult to put down
clearly the impressions gather from
those Of our associated nations with
whom I discuss the question Of g.
league of nations, but the upshot Of
my impressions is that neither the
British nor the French regard the
proposal with any real enthusiasm.
not because they have selfish ambi-
tions which would be interfered with.
not because they have vindictive
passions which they mean to crafty.
but solely and simply because four
years Of war with the German have
taught them 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 neu-
trality of Belgium. The British min
istry which was in power in the
period just preceding the war will
be held up to scorn for centuries to
come because of the. extent to which
it trusted the assurances Of German
public men.
She Trusted Germany. ..
England was caught unawares be-
cause she trusted Germany France
had the lesser trust, the better
knowledge, but France sees a reason
why the written guarantees which
Germany gave before 1914 and VOL
ated then would have q different
character If Germany should make
them all over again. The difficulty
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 restore 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,
Determined Opposition
Accordingly when the United
States goes to Europe to impose a
League of Nations upon the world,
If it does undertake this task, it will
find itself Instantly confronted by the
friendly but not less determined OPP
position Of the masses OF the nations
which have suffered at German
contravention of German pledges
before the war broke out. A League
OF Nations which was made up of
races seeking the same enlightened
goals by similar courses, having the
same regard for honor, good faith,
humanity, that is not q difficult
thing to arrange. But for four years
for four and forty years-the Ger
man has used the same words to
mean a totally different thing, and
who on the top Of this earth can be-
lieve him today, when he uses words
which in other mouths might mean
honorable things, but in his mouth
may mean anything?
In the early part of this war
concerted 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 it even now
and signs which point to a new effort
to exploit this view. But in; the main
we know better now and we shall
know still more exactly when our
two million soldiers come home,
bringing with them their own judg-
ment upon the German as he is and
as he is likely to remain for long
time to come.
But either all the European ma
tions are equally criminal nations,
in which case it may be our holy, If
somewhat risky mission, to compel
them to lay aside their evil ways
and under our supreme and enIight-
ened directing enroll in new inter-
national organization. leaving their.
guns and their sticks at the door. or
else there is a difference between na-
tions and therefore an impossipility
that these nations with different
ideals and moral codes should
ever, or at least should while their
differences exist, associate on such
terms.
Ready TO Sacrifice
Our European allies are prepared
to make almost any sacrifice that we
may ask, their gratitude is unn1is-
taxable; but there is one thing that
they cannot do for us: they cannot
see things as they are not because
we do; they cannot see the German
as he isn't because b portion OF our
public, who have not encountered
him in this war and in Europe In
sist upon seeing him their own way.
And since the French and the Brit
list do see the German In the same
way and not In any other way, we
had better give up trying to impose
our view. B'or in dong this we shall
make enemies OF our friends without
Ia the least succeeding in making
friends OF our enemies.
The Peace Congress has to deal
with Germany an the court Of law
deals with a criminal. 1T has to
punish the criminal nation for its
crimes. The punt ahrnent consists IN
cCYnpaiiinr that nation 70 make rep