The Carlisle independent., 1918-02-21

ternational conference or an under standing between rivals and antagon- ists. National aspirations must be respected, peoples may now be domi- mated and governed only by their own consent.
 'Self-determination' is not mere phrase, it Is an imperative principle of action, which statesmen will hence forth ignore at their peril We cannot have general peace for the asking or by the mere arrangement of a peace conference. It cannot be pleced to- gether out of individual understand fngs between powerful states.
 All Parties Must Join.
 All the parties to this war must join in the settlement of every issue anywhere involved in it, because what we are seeking is a peace that we eNn all unite 10 guarantee and maintain and every item of it must be submit led to the common judgment whether II be right or fair, an act of justice rather than bargain between sov- ereigns.
 Tine United States has no desire to interfere in European affairs or to act as arbiter in European territorial dis putes. She would disdain 10 take ad- vantage Of any internal weakness or disorder to impose her own will upon another people. She is quite ready to be shown that the settlements she has suggested are not the best or the most enduring. They are only her own pro- Yisional sketch of principles and of the way in which they should be ap- piled
 But she entered this war because she was made a partner, whether she would or not, in the sufferings and in- dfgnities inflicted by the military mas ters of Germany, against the peace and security of mankind and the con ditiOns of peace will touch her as near- ly as they will touch any other nation to which is intrusted leading part in the maintenance of civilization. She cannot see her way to peace until the causes of this war are removed. it's re- neWal rendered as nearly as may be in- possible
 Rights of Weak Disregarded
 The war had it's roots 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 10 determine their own allegiances and their own forms of political life.
 
 Covenants must now be entered into which will render such things i'm possible for the future and those coy chants must be backed by the united force of all the nations that love just ice and are willing to maintain it Ut any cost. If territorial settlements and the political relations of great populations which have not the organ ized power to resist are to be deter mined by the contracts of the power ful governments which consider them- selves most directly affected. us Count Eon Heftling proposes, why may not economic quesuones also? It has come about in the altered world in which We now find ourselves that justice and the rights of peoples affect the whole field of International dealing as much as access 10 raw materials and fair and equal conditions of trade.
 Count von Hertling wants the es- sential bases of commercial and indus trial life to be safeguarded by common 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 ac- counting.