The Dermott news., 1918-02-21
what shall be done with Poland.

 ish authorities themselves. After settlement all around, effected in this fashion, by individual barter and con cession. he would have no objection, if l correctly interpret his statement to d league of nations which would un- dertake 10 hold the new balance of power steady against external disturb anCeS
 Ut must be evident to everyone who understands what this war has wrought in the opinion and temper of the world that no general peace, no peace worth the infinite sacrifices of these years of tragical suffering, can possibly be arrived at in any such fashion.
 Peace of World Is at Stake.
 The method the German chancellor proposes is the method of the congress of Vienna. We cannot and will not return to that. What is tt stake now is the peace of the world. What We are striving for k q new international order based upon broad and universal principles of right and justice-no mere peace of shreds and patches. k 1t possible that Count ven Hertlins does hot see that, does not grasp it. k, in fact. living in his thought i'll world dead and gone? Has he utterly for gotten the reichstag resolutions of the 10th of July, or does he deliberately ignore them? They spoke of the con d1t0ns of a general peace, not of na- uonal aggruudizement or of arrange mentS between state and state. The peace of the world depends upon the just settlement of each ef the several cent address to the congress. l, of course, do not mean that the peace of the world depends upon the accept ance of any particular set of suEges- uons Us to the way i'll which those problems are te he dealt with. mean only that these problems. each and all, affect the whole world; that unless they are dealt with in spirit of un- selfish and unbiased justice, with ii view to the wishes, the natural con ncctions. the racial aspirations the se- curity and peace of mind of the pee pies involved. 10 permanent peace will have been attained.
 They cannot be discussed separate ly or iii corners. None of them ccu- Stitutc prlyate or separate interest from which the opinion of the world may he shut out Whatever affects [ b., . A4 ing settled by military force. if settled wrong. k settled at all. II Will pres eutIy have to be reopeHed.
 Refers to Reiehstag Resolutions.
 "IS Count YoH Hertline hot aware that he k speahing h the court If mankind that all the awakened na- tons of the world now sit ia judgment on what every public man ol whatever nation may Say on the issues of a cuu- njct which has spread To every region of the worldf fde rcigh~Jag re~olu- tious of July themselves frankly ae- cepted the decisiouS of that court. There shall be no auueNutinuS uu con tributoRS, no punitive damages Pco- ples are not To be handed about from one sovereignty To another hy an in terpatidBal conference or an under standing between rivals and untaSan- ists National aspirations must be re- Spected peoples may now be domiuut- ed and governed only by their own con sent.
 Self Determination" imperative
 'Self-determiHatiou k not q mere phrase, It is an imperative principle of action. which statesmen will hence forth ignore at their peril All the parties To this war must join in the settlement of every Issue anywhere in- volved in it, because what We are seek Ing Is peace that We can al unite ta guarantee and maintain and every item of 1t must be submitted to the common judgment whether 1t be right or fair, an act of justice rather than a bargain between sovereigns.
 "The United States has no desire to interfere in European affairs or 10 act as arbiter in European territorial disputes She would diSdain to take advantage 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 visional sketch of principles and of the way ln which they should be applied.
 "Rut she entered this war because she was made a partner. whether she would or not, In the sufferiHgs and in dignities inflicted by the military mas ters of Germany, against the peace and security of mankind and the condi- tionS of peace will touch her as nearly as they will touch any other nation to which Is entrusted a leading part in the maintenance of civilization. She cannot see her way to peace until the causes of thlS war are removed, its re newal rendered as nearly as may be impossible.
 The war had It's roots in the dis