The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-01-11

tical control. and blythe granting of
large loans and beildine railroads
such as the Berlin and Bagdad rail-
way, assuming financial and economic
control. The population OF pan-Ger-
many is thus increased from sixty
million to one hundred and fifty mill
ion which is to be trained to over
whelm democracy in the world either
in the present war or in case Of a
premature peace at some other not
, far distant date.
Germany has never admitted the
validity Of the Monroe Doctrine or
the American continent. We were
forced to promulgate that doctrine
for our own protection to prevent
the members of the Holy Alliance
from establishing autocracy on this
continent. We now find it necessary
to extend that doctrine, and with the
assistance Of France and England and
Italy, prevent Germany from extend
ing her empire in Europe forming a
base from which to strike at America
after England and her Allies are con-
quered. To make the world safe for
our democracy was the compelling
motive for our participation in the
war.
Now we should consider the effect
which the peace settlement will have
on the cause of democracy. President
Wilson has declared that this nation
will not have dealings with the Ger
man government which is not re-
sporsible to the German people. The
German press has protested that this
is an attempt on our part to interfere
with the internal affairs of another
nation. 1t is only comparable to that
right which nations possesses under in
ternational law to refuse recognition
to government which does not ap-
pear competent or stable. We have
right to refuse to accept promises
from government which has failed
to keep promises, and we have good
grounds for believing that a German
government which is responsible to
the people whose fortune it decides
will make more reliable member of
the family of nations. If our war
aims in this regard are successful in
the peace settlement, the beginning of
true democracy will be introduced in
to Germany.
President Wilson has also said that
the rights of small nations will be pro-
tected so that no nation will be in
cluded in the political hegemony
against its will to cause as in the |
case of Alsace Lorraine continental |
discomfort among it's people and we
can insist upon this principle with
clean hands. Before the eclipsing of |
the Mexican trouble, the nations of
South America looked upon the United
States with distrust, fearing we had
designs upon Mexico and upon South
America. The spokesman of some
South American Countries declared
themselves more pro-german than
pro- United States. But our policy
of hands off in Mexico with our sim
cere efforts to aid Mexico in settling
her international difficulties has won
Tor us respect and confidence of the
American continent so that South
is following our leadership
against Germany. We can therefore
cad the enemies of Germany in de-
that every nation concerned
n the peace settlement shall have the
light to determine its own form of
government, and this is the principle
IF international democracy.
This brings us to the last question
Which we are going to discuss, the
probability of permanent peace and
is effect upon supernatural demo-
racy. So many pacifists at the out
freak of the present world war was
great Encouragement. They had
that the development of in
er-dependence in international rela-
ions, the development of international
aw and the spread of the peace idea
would prevent the recurrence of.war:
hey were disappointed that it didn't.
5ut this war has demonstrated the
lold that peace and sense of justice
las upon the world So that no
ation how well prepared can break
'eace in violation of justice without
rousing against itself sufficient force
o balk it. When we are successful
n this war, the German government
vill be forced to the realization that
heir years of preparation for conquest
viii have been a futile expenditure
f energy and wealth. The reality of
International Aaw and international
ustice will have been established. !
aY-y,, opxy xx,o,,1J hox,o looo Ill A.