The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-12

not return to that. What Is at stake |
now Is the peace of the world. What /
we are striving for is now intcrna. !
tional order based upon broad and .
universal principles of right and JUS !
tlcc; no more peace of shrcds and |
patches. Is 1t possible that Count 4
Won Hertling does not see that, does /
not craps it; Is he is fact living in |
his thought in world dead and
gone? Has he utterly forgotten the !
reichstag resolutions of the nine
teenth Of July or does he deliberate
ly ignore them? They spoke Of the
conditions of a general peace, not of
national aggrandizement nor of ar.
rangemcnts between state and state.
THE PEACE OF THE WORLD
The peace of the world depends up.
on the just settlement of each of
these problems to which / averted in
my recent address to congress. |, of
course. do not mean that the peace of
the world depends upon the accept
ance Of any particular set of sugges.
tions as to the way in which those
problems are to be dealt with. !
mean cnly that those problems, each
and all, affect the whole world. That
unless they are dealt with spirit of
unsellish and unbiased justice with
view to the wishes Of the natural con-
viCtions, the racial aspirations, the
security and peace Of mind of the
peoples involved, no permanent peace
will have been attained.
NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION
"'rhcy cannot be discussed scpa.
rdtcly or in corners. None of them
constitutes a private or separate
interest from which the opinion of
the world may be shut out. Whatev
cr affects the peace affects mankind
and nothing settled by military force
ii settled wrong is settled at all. 1t
will presently have to be reopened.
IN MANkIND's COURT
is Count ven Hertling not aware
that he is speaking in the court of
mankind; that all tho awakened ma
tons of the world now sit in judg-
mCnt on whatever public man of
whatever nation may say on the is
sues OF conflict which has spread
to every region of the world? The
rcichstag resolutions of July frankly
accepted the decisions of that court.
There shall be no anncXations, no
contributions. no punitive damages.
People are not to be handed about
from one Sovereignty to another by
an international conference or an un-
Outstanding between rival antago-
nists National aspirations must be
respected aud peoples may be domi-
mated and governed only by their
own consent
SELF ACTION IMPERATIVE
"Scli-dctcrmination is not mere
phrase II Is an imperative principle
of action which statesmen will hence
I forth ignore at their peril. We can
not have general peace for the ask
ing, or by the arrangements OF IA
peace conference. 1t cannot be peace
| together out OF individual under
| standings between powerful states.
| All the parties to this war must join
/ in the settlement of every issue any
where involved in it because what we
f ig that all
unite to guarantee and maintain and
every item of it must be submitted
to the common Judgment, whether 1t
/ be right and fair and an act of JUS
tice rather than bargain between
sovereigns.
WILL NOT INTERFERE
The Unitcd States has no desire
to interfere in European affairs or to
act az arbitrator In Europc's terri
torial disputes. We would disdain to
take advantage OF any internal weak
will upon another people. She is
quite ready to be shown that the set
Elements she has suggested are for
the best and most enduring. They are
only her own provisional sketch OF
principles aud of the way in which
they should be applied. She entered
this war because she was made a
partner whether she would or not in
the sulrcrings and indignities inilict'
cd by the military masters OF Ger
many against the peace and security
OF mankind; and the conditions OF
peace will touch her as nearly as
they will touch any other nation to
which Is entrusted leading part in
the maintenance of civilization, She
cannot see her way to peace until the
causes of this war are removed; its
renewal rendered as nearly as may
be impossible.
RIGHTS DiSREGAROeD
This war had its roots In the dis
regard OF the rights Of small nations
; and OF nationalities which lacked the
nniou and tho fnrpp tO make good the