Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-10-04

ty Of speaking with the utmost franz |
ness about the practical implications
that are involved in 1t.
Foe Must Pay Price.
eff it be in deed and in truth the
common object of the governments as
sOciated against Germany and of the
nations whom they govern, as believe
it to be, to achieve by the coming set
Elements a secure and lasting peace it
will be necessary that all who sit down
at the peace table shall come ready
and willing to pay the price, the only
price that will procure it; and ready
and willing also to create in some
virile fashion the only instrumentality
by which it can be made certain that
the agreements of the peace will be
hOnOred and fulfilled.
''That price is impartial justice in
every item of settlement, no matter
whose interest is crossed; not only i'm
partial justice, but also the satisfac-
ton of the several peoples whose for
tunes are dealt with. That indispen-
sable instrumentality is a league OF
nations formed under covenants that
will be efficacious.
without such inStrumentality, by
which the peace of the world can be
guaranteed, peace will rest in part
upon the word of outlaws and only
upon that word. For Germany will
have to redeem her character, not only
by what happens at the peace table
but what follows.
''And, as l see it, the constitution OF
that league of nations and the clear
definition of its objects must be part,
is in a sense the most essential part,
of the peace settlement itself. 1t can
not be formed now. If formed now, 1t
would be merely new alliance con.
fined to the nations associated against
common enemy. 1t is not likely that
it could be formed after that settle
ment.
1T is necessary to guarantee the
peace, and the peace cannot be guar
anteed as an afterthought. The rea-
son, to speak in plain terms again,
why it must be guaranteed, is that
there will be parties to the peace
whose promises have proved untrust-
worthy, and means must be found in
connection with the peace settlement
itself to remove that source of inse-
curity.
''It would be folly to leave the guar
antee to the subsequent voluntary ac-
ton of the government We have seen
| destroy Russia and deceive ROumania
Particulars of Terms.
These, then, are some of the par
| ticulars, and l state them with the
| greater confidence because I can state
them authoritatively as representing
| this governments Interpretation of its
own duty with regard to peace:
"FIRST-The impartial justice
| meted out must involve no discrimina
ton between those to whom we wish tC
| be Just and those to whom we do moi
wish to be just. 1t must be justice
that plays no favorites and knows NJ
standard but the equal rights Of the
several peoples.
"SECOND-NO special or separate
interest of any single nation or an!
group of nations can be made th'
basis of any part of the settlemen
which is not consistent with the com
mon interest of all.
"THIRD-There can be no leagues
or alliances or special covenants ant
understandings within the general ant
common family of the league of ma
tions.
"FOURTH-And more specifically
there can be no special, selfish, econo
mic combinations within the leagu
and no employment of any force o
economic boycott for exclusion excep
as the power of economic penalty b
exclusion from the markets of tn
world may be vested in the league G
nations itself as means of disciplin
and control.
'FIFTH-All international agree
ments and treaties of every kind mus
be made known in their entirety
the rest of the world.
Special alliances and economi
rivalries and hostilities have bee
the prolific sources in the moder
world of the plans and passions ths
produce war. 1t would be an inSil
cere as well as insecure peace tn;
did not exclude them in definite an
binding terms.
''Plain workaday people have deman,
ed almost every time they came t
gether. and are still demanding, tn;
the leaders of their governments d
clare to them plainly what it iS-e
, actly what it is-that they were seel
ing in this war and what they thir
: the items of the final settlemel
should be.
, ''They are not yet satisfied wit
: what they have been told. They ST
seem to fear that they are getting VIII
| they ask for only in statesmen's tern
only in the terms of territorial a
5 rangements and the divisions of DO,
= er and not in terms of broad visio
5 justice and mercy and peace and II
= satisfaction of those deep-seated lon
= ings of oppressed and distracted m,
and women and enSlaved peoples tn
2 seem to them the only things wor
D fighting a war for that engulfs Il
( world
: Germany is constantly intimatil
: the terms she will accept; and :
e ways finds that the world does n
l want terms. 1t wishes the final t
: umph of justice and fair dealing"
credit is given only for machiI
: driven down. The rONal flying cor