The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-30

ing inc decisions accepted by Its rep
Pesentatives. there Is bound to be a
very considerable loss Of time. So far
from a prompt settlement and a speedy
signing OF a treaty Of peace, the best
hope must be that, after serious de-
lays, but without temporary adjourn
ment until a new German revolution
has passed, Germany will be able to
ser delegates having the same poten-
tlRlitles as those Of Britain, France or
the United States.
SO much for the first obstacle. But
there is a second only less imposing.
At Versailles two things are to be
sought and they are by no means easy
Germany, are going to impose upon
Germany the sentence of the civilized
world. We are going to make her pay
FOR her crimes In two ways. We are
going to deprive her Of certain prov
inces inhabited by people who are Ger
the decision of the sword in the past.
We arc going to free the Danes, the
Poles n the inhabitants of Alsace-
Lorraine. In addition, we are going to
compel Germany to pay anywhere from
$40, 0oo, 900, 900 to $40, 900. 900, 900 as repa-
ration for wanton injuries done in de-
fiance OF the accepted rules Of war.
Plan New System.
This is one number on the program.
But In addition, we, with the Germans,
are to frame a new international sys-
tenn. a league OF nations which Is to
regulate all International relations in
the future, serve as a superstate, with
police power and with many other
powers over the whole body OF nations,
such as have heretofore been exercised
only by the central government within
separate states. And unless Germany
Is a willing n sincere partner In this
enterprise the league OF nations will be
q failure. for Its success must rest upon
It's universally. With Germany out, 1t
Is no more than a perpetuation OF the
existing alliance against Germany.
Moreover, Germany may easily, II the
reds gain control, Join hands with the
Russian reds, and then we shall have
the old situation OF rival alliances once
more.
Now, much Of this Is familiar ground.
There Is nothing new about the league
OF nations. and after a long and ex-
hausting general war men have before
sought some insurance through interna-
tional combination, Thus when Napo-
leon was defeated the sovereigns Of
Europe combined In a holy alliance,
They united against what they con-
ceived to be the peril to peace OF their
time, namely. republican ideas, They
included France In the alliance because
they were able to place one OF them
selves, a duly authenticated king, upon
the French throne.
But In facing the same difficulty that
must now be faced again the conquer
ors of Napoleon were far more logical
than the victors OF the present hour.
They desired TO prevent a new out
break like the French revolution with
It's t~wenty-odd years OF consequent
wars. But they realized that this would
be impossible II they undertook to write
IA traaNN TpkIal tnaNA.Al ,,NN, Un.-.
any such burdens as would awaken
permanent resentment In the minds OF
the French people. Therefore they sac
rtficed their claims against France in
the main, giving the French people al
most complete Immunity from punish
ment as a bride TO win them to the
new order,
Actually, the situation was this, For
more than 20 years French armies had
oVerrun Europe, making war In foreign
countries, enllsting the subjects. requi-
sltion'ng tho funds, The revolution,
and Napoleon after II, had made war
at the expense OF the enemy, and
France was free from debt at the hour
when the emperor andicated Here was
a clear warrant for indemnities, n clear
chance for retributive Justice. but the
c%onquerors deliberately put It aside.
They deprived France OF her %conquests.
they restricted her practically to the
limits Of 1880, but there they left II.
and the additional burdens placed upon
the nation after Napoleon had returned
and regained power. only to fall at
Waterloo, were, In fact, insignificant.
Resentment Vanishes,
The result was that France for the
moment accepted Louis XVIII. and the
Bourbons. No permanent resentment
was e~ngendered against the conquerors
OF Napoleon as a result OF the treaty OF
peace. In due course of time France
upset the Bourhons, then the Orlean-
lists, returned to the Bonapartes and then
exiled Napoleon Ill, but the only modi-
f~cRtions of the territorial arrangements
Of the Napoleonic settlement, so far as
France was concerned, were the aC-
QUESTION OF Savoy and Nice by a vote
OF the Inhabitants and the loss OF Al
sace-lorraine by conquest, The holy
alliance was a failure. because 1t was
an effort to turn back the tide OF human
progress, but the treaty its founders
framed with France stood the test OF
time.
Now It would he conceivable that
should the victors Of the present war
follow. the example Of those OF a cen
fury before, remit to Germany their
Just claim for indemnities. content
themselves with taking for France All.
sRce-Isorraine and distributing German
colonies as they chose, they might sue.
c~essfully establish some orderly regime
In Germany and, In negotiating with II
formulate a constitution OF a league Of
nations, Remember | am not for a sin.
gle moment suggesting this as a right
just or proper course, On the contrary
Il would. In my Judgment, be sinEulariN
iueduitahle and tntolerable. But II the
league OF nations Ia the chief concern
OF the peace congress this would offeI
a way, and think the only conceivabl,
way, of bringing Germany into II.
II, by contrast, we proceed to frame
our demands and impose them upou
Germany Alsace-Lorraine Schleswlg
Prusstan Poland, with Dsnxig, the Ger.
man colonies and an indemnity OF ter
' to twenty billions, in what spirit viii
the German people be with respect 10 4
league Of nations, organized BY theii