The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-12-28

endos, ana succeeded therein temporarily at least
While the German war lord had no excuse whatever
for initiating the world Slaughter and has engen-
dered chaos for that part of the world which he
involved III his overweenng ambitions. Neverthe-
less, the two movements taking place a century
apart were alike in that they represented the per-
sona ambitions of two men who were obsessed of
the passion OF posing in the roles of Alexander and
Caesars; and their strength was such that it re-
CURED consolidation of nearly all the rest of the
powers OF the world to overcome it, Napoleon at
1ne termination OF his campaigns found himself at
st. Helena there to remain for the remainder of his
life; while William II has sought temporarily ref
uge IN Holland, causing embarrassment to the
Dutch kingdom, but not daring to return to that
fatherland whose population he has been using as
almost lnanlmate toys in the sanguinary game.
by the diplomacy of the great Talleyrand at the
congress OF Vienna the union of the Allied powers
was broken, and France was saved from dismem-
berment by secret treaty with Austria and Eng
land. negotiated by him. But there is little like-
ference at Versailles on the part of the Central
towers, notwithstanding the vigorous propaganda
they are now conducting to lay foundations for it,
On the contrary as time passes and the extent of
the devastation wrought by the nordes of reuton-
dom as we'll as the savagery and degeneracv of the
masses Of their military and naval forces have been
proved beyond all doubt the more determined has
become the resolve that these crimes shall be fully
atoned for and the material damages shall be re-
quilted as fully as is possible under the circum-
" SNeSl 9ulll But the entire
wealth OF the Central Powers even if it were pos
s'b!e to appropriate it to the payment OF pec1nary
aud material losses would not suffice to afford rest-
tuition to the Allied victors.
In other directions too, there are limitations APP
parent to the work of the Conference The tidal
wave of Bolsheviksnl, which is now CROSSING the
European continent from the east to the west will
present formidable problem to the diplomats who
are charged with the weighty problem of world re-
adjustments. 1t will probably be found quite i'm
practicable to set up completely effective barriers
against this tidal wave of extreme radicaHsm The
fever OF frenzy must perhaps be allowed to have it's
course before the remedial treatment can be ade-
quatey admlnlstered-unt the patients themselves
realize the folly and futlty of their desperate ef
forts to cure their ills.
1t is, therefore, Over-sanguine to expect Utopian
results from the gathering of the Powers at Yer
sa'!es The immediate problem of the settlement
OF the war will in itself be colossal problem in the
lace OF the uncertainties of the situation among the
peoples directly involved, and without definite as
surance that the agreements effected will be car
RED out in good faith by stable governments 1t
Will obviously require good deal of time to test
these tentative conventions and the way should be
Kept open tor further adjustments and negotiations
to insure their pernanency and solidity
his is not to say that the world may be disap-
pointed in the final outcome of the Conference but
that delays and obstacles in the realization of it's
projects may naturally be expected But it will
have raversed the major part of it's progress toward
the ideals of democratic government if it will give
positive and definite expression of the worlds &C
ceptance and approval Of the principles laid down
by President Wilson for the a1nelioration of man
kind