The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-10-04

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
impartial justice, but also the salts
faction of the several peoples whose
fortunes are dealt with. That indis-
pensable 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 whGts happens at the peace table
but what follows.
"And, as l see 1t, the constitution
of that league of nations and the
clear definition of its objects must be
q part is in a sense the most essen
tial part, of the peace settlement IL
self. It cannot be formed now. Ii
formed now, it would be merely new
alliance confined to the nations asso-
ciated against common enemy. Ii
is not likely that it could be formed
after that settlement.
ut 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 lnse-
curity.
ut would be folly to leave the guar
antee to the subsequent voluntary ac-
ton of the government we have seen
destroy Russia and deceive Roumanla.
Particulars of Terms.
"These, then are some of the par
ticulars, and / state them with the
greater confidence because l can state
them authoritatively as representing
this governments Interpretation OF
it's own duty with regard to peace:
FIRST - The impartial justice
melted out must involve no discrimlna-
ton between those to whom we wish
to be just and those to whom we do
not wish to be just. 1t must be JUS
tice that plays no favorites and knows
no standard but the equal rights OF
the several peoples.
"SECOND-No special or separate
interest of any single nation or any
group of nations can be made the
basis of any part of the settlement
which is not consistent with the com
mon interest of all.
"THIRD-There can be no leagues
or alliances or special covenants ano
understandings within the general ano
common family of the league Of ma
lions.
"FOURTH-And more specifically
there can be no special, selfish, eco
nomic combination within the league
and no employment Of any force OF
economic boycott for exclusion except
as the power of economic penalty by
exclusion from the markets of the
world may be vested In the league OF
nations itself as a means Of discipline
and control.
'FIFTH-All international agree
mentS and treaties Of every kind must
be made known in their entirety to
the rest of/the world.
Special alliances and econmic riy
alries and hostilities have been the
prolific sources Ia the modern worlC
of the plans and passions that pro
duce war. 1t would be an insincere
as we'll as insecure peace that did not
exclude them in definite and binding
terms.
National purposes have fallen more
and more into the background and the
common purpose of enlightened man
kind has taken their place.
"Plain workaday people have de
handed almost every time they came
together, and are still demanding, that
the leaders of their governments de
clare to them plainly what 1t is-ex
actly what it is-that they are seek
ing in this war and what they think
the items of the final settlement should
lie.
"They are not yet satisfied with
what they have been told. They still
seem to fear that they are getting
what they ask for only in statesmen's
terms-only in the terms of territorial
arrangements and the divisions OF
power and not in terms of broad vision
| Justice and mercy and peace and the
satisfaction of those deep-seated long
| ings of oppressed and distracted mer
and women and enslaved peoples thai
seem to them the only things worth
| fighting a war for that engulfs the
world.
"But I, for one, am glad to attempt
| the answer again and again In the
hope that I may make it clearer thai
| my one thought is to satisfy those whc
struggle in the ranks and are, perhaps
! above all others entitled to reply
| whose meaning no one can have any
| excuse for misunderstanding If he un
| derstands the language in which 1t Il
spoken or can get some one to trans
| late 1t correctly into his own.
| "Peace drives can be effectivel!
utilized and silenced only by showing
| that every victory of the nations asso
| ciated against Germany brings the ma
tons nearer the sort Of peace which
| will bring security and reinsurance t.
all peoples and make the recurrence O
another struggle of pitiless force ant
hloodshed forever impossible and tina
nothing else can.