The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-02-14

based upon broad and universal prin-
ciples OF right and justice-no mere
peace of shreds and patches. Is it pos
sible that Count Won Hertling does not
see that, does not grasp it, is in fact
living in his thought in a world dead
and gone? Has he utterly forgotten the
~rcichstag resolutions of the 10th of
July, or does he deliberately ignore
them? They spoke of the conditions of
a general peace, not OF national ag-
srandizement or of arrangements be-
tween state and state. The peace Of
the world depends upon the just settle
ment of each OF the several problems to
which adverted in my recent address
to the congress. /, Of course, do not
mean that the peace of the world de-
pends upon the acceptance Of any par
tlcular set of suggestions as to the way
IN which those problems are to be dealt
with. | mean only hat those prob
lens, each and all. affect the whole
world; that unless they are dealt with
II n spirit Of unselfish and unbiased
Justice. with "A view to the wishes, the
natural connections, the radical aspi-
r%ations; the security ard Ell" of mind
of the peoples involved. ornament
peace will have becn attained. They
cannot be discussed separately or in
corners. None Of them constitutes a
private or separate interest from which
the opinion of the world may be shut
OUT. Whatever affects the peace, af-
tccts mankind, and nothing settled by
military force, If settled wrong is set
tied NJ all. 1t will presently have to be
reopencd.
Riddles HertIing's Ideas.
rs Coun Won Hertling not aware
that he Is speaking in the court of
mankind, that all the awakened nations
OF he world now sit in Judgment on
whatever public man, of whatever ma
ton, may say IN the issues of a con-
flict which has spread to every region
Of the world? The reichstag resolu-
tons of July themselves frankly ac-
cepted the decisions of that court.
There were no a~nneXationS, no on
trlbutions. no punitive damages. Peo-
Piles are not to be handed about from
one sovereignty to another by inter-
national conference of an understand
ing between rivals and antagonists.
National aspirations must be respected,
peoples may now be dominated and
governed only by their own consent.
self determination is not Il mere
phrase. 1t is an imperative principle
of action which statesmen will hence
forth ignore at their peril. We cannot
have general peace for the asking, or
by the mere arrangement of IL peace
conference. 1t cannot he pieced to-
gether out of Individual understandings
IDtlWttfl pDN1ilul sldltS. All Tie
parties to this war must join in the
settlement Of every issue anywhere
involved in ii because what we are
seeking is q peace that we can all
unite to guarantee and maintain and
every item of ii must be submitted to
the nm Judgment whether it be
right and fair, an act of Justice, rather
than "a bargain between soHereigns.
The United States has no desire to in
terefere IN European affairs or to act
as arbitor in European territorial dis
putes. We would disdain to take adj
vantage OF any internal weakness or
disorder to impose her own will upon
another people. h is quite ready to
be shown that the settlements she has
suggested are not the best or the most
enduring. They are only her WI pro-
yiSional sketch OF principles and of the
way in which they should be applied.
But she entered this war because she
was made a partner, whether she would
or not. in the sufferings and indigni-
ties inflicted by the military masters
Of Germany against the peace and Sc
curity of mankind: and the conditions
of peace will touch her ~ nearly as
they will touch any other nation to
which is entrusted "a leading part in the
maintenance Of civilization. She can
not see her way to peace until the
/ causes of this war are removed, it's re-
7 tttNNll lSllb'I'' ~ iNt'AS - ''''F ~
impossible.
The Cause of the War.
This war had it's roots in the dis
, regard of the rights Of small nations
! and Of n~ationalities which lacked the
union n the force to make good
! their claim TO determine their " allie
chances and their own forms Of political
life.
covenants must now he entered in
A. ,uli,I, u.;u ranlat. S,,fb thinoG Inn
possible for the future and those cove
nants must be backed by the united
force Of al the nations h 4 o jus
tice and are willing 10 maintain il at
any cost. If territorial settlements
and the political relations of great Top
ulations which have not the organized
power to resist, are to De determined
by the contracts Of the powerful gov
ernments. which consider themselves
most directly affected, as Coun Won
lIertling proposes, why may not eco
nomic questions also? 1t is come
abou in the altered world i'll which
we now find ourselves. that Justice and
the rights OF peoples affect the whole
field Of international dealing as much
as access 70 raw materials and fair and
equal conditions Of Grade. Count Won
Eertling wants the essential bases of
commercial and Industrial life to be
s~afeguarded by common agreement and
guarantee, but he cannot expect that
to be conceded him if the other mat
ters to be determined by the articles
Of peace are not handled in the same
way as items i'm the final accounting.
lie cannot ask the benefit OF common
agreement in the one field without ac.
cording it In the other. / take 1t for
granted that he sees that separate and
selfish compacts with regard to trade
and the essential materials OF manufac-
ture. would afford no foundation for
peace. Neither, he may rest assured,