Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-15
President Wilson Arrives


\X/ It'll the arrival in France of President
w Wilson the stage is set for what can be
described safely as the most portentous event
III the history OF modern human progress
It's Importance transcends that of the war it
self The function of tho war was destruc-
tive. The opportunity of the peace con-
terence now about TO assemble is construc-
i've The immediate purpose of the war,
iar as concerns the victors, was the destruc-
ton OF the menacng specter of autocracy
and militarism that blocked the way to
progress The avowed purpose OF the victors
us they enter the peace conference is to chart
the future course of humanity's advance, so
that this menacng specter may never rise
again to threaten the peace OF the world
Into that conference goes Woodrow Will
son. President of the United States, and
spokesman for that half Of the world which
Is young both in history and in spirit He
represents n nation which want nothing out OF
the peace conference but Il permanent peace.
lie speaks for Il nation which, removed as
IT is from every special interest involved in
the settlement, is interested mainly in the
principles which shall surround that settle
mcnt.
Monstrous as they are seen to be in their
various aspects, the costs Of this war are
difficult to conceive as Il whole Lloyd George
has declared that they aggregate. for the
winning side alone, $4,000, 600. 900. and
the mind refuses to embrace the magnitude
OF such Il figure. The Treasury Department
employs experts, who trained in the ope-
ration OF counting money. These expert
counters will average apiece about $4,000
notes day Set of them to the work
or counting the cost OF the war to the victors
in dollar bills, to the amount estimated by
the british Premier, and it would take that
expert counter just 234S3 years to complete
inc 1ob. 1T is an amount OF money, which,
If nrorated against the entire population Of
Germany, would mean debt against every
man. woman and child i'll that country-if
levied against the present generaton-of
Sl,SOO not including the pro rata proportion
OF Germany's cost of conducting the war. 1t
Is 200 times the amount of all the gold locked
up IN the banks of Germany. 1t more than
doubles Germany's entire wealth, public and
private, at the time it started the war
Although Lloyd George has declared the
determination Of the British government that
Germany shall be made to pay the whole
cost of the war, he has added that the sum
Will be cXacted lin such way that it does not
do more harm to the country that receives
1t than TO the countries paying it, Pre-
sumahly the German people will be made to
pay to their capacity, whatever that capacity
may be determined to be ut the peace CON
ference Suffice it to say that the burden
Will be a heavy one
'"A hiSHllullS nuBe as the monetary costs
OIL the war have been, they can never take
pace with the costs in flesh and blood nor
Tor mat matter with the spiritual losses in
VOWED. This, then, is the worlds inherit
lance from that system Of autocracy and
lust for power and dominion and from that
code or international Misunderstanding and in
trlguc, which survived, ugly and unashamed
IN the spirit OF German Kultur. Before the
peace conference as il assemblies is n fork
III the road One pathway lighted by the
spoken promises that have thrilled the allied
armies with the spirit OF the crusaders leads
TO Il new era in the history of mankind The
other, through Il thorny undcrbrush of sell
lSh ana conflicting interests, would lead back
soon or late, to the morass from which the
powers of evil so lately sought to wreck the
that rest upon those who will attend this
conference without conviction that these
men will hold in their hands the DESTINY Of
civilization
Iherc can be no doubt as to the course
ihal will be followed With every country
represented in the ranks OF the victory, the
cry Is Tor Il permanent peace. Into every
human heart that beats in the mass of man
kihd has been driven the determination that
the world shall not again be swept by such
Il holocaust The American pcople Dassion-
ate in their adherence to this demand NAV
LOOK with confidence on the presence at that
conference OF Woodrow Wilson.