Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-12

contracts OF tho powerful governments
which consider themselves most direct
~ affected. as Count Won Hertlinl
proposes. why may not economic qucs
tions also? 1t has como about in til,
altered world IN which We now fnt
ourselves that Justice and tho right:
| OF peoples affect the whole field OF in
! ternational dealing as much as acces.
! to raw materials and fair and caua
conditions Of trade.
ALI SELFISH CONTACTS
MUST BE REoIovED
! Count Won IloitlirS wants the cs.
| aential bases OF commercial and indus
| trial life to be safcGuarded BY com.
mon agreement and guarantee. but
| he cannot expect that to be concede ed
! him il the other matters to be de-
| tcrmined by tho articles OF peace are
| not handled in the same way az items
! in the ANAL accounting, lie cannot ask
the benefit OF common aEreemcnt in
the one field without according il in
the other. L take X for granted tina;
ne sees that separate and selfish com
pacts with regard TO trade and the es-
Sential materials of manufacture WOULD
anord no foundation for peace Neither
he may rest assured. will separate any
selfish compacts with regard 10 prov
, inces and peoples,
Count Czernin seems to sec the fun
damental clements of peace with clear
eyes. and does not seek TO obscure
them. lie sees that an Independents
Poland. made UP OF all the indisputa-
bly, Polish peoples who lie contiguous
10 one another, Is a matter OF Euro
pean concern and must OF course I've
conceded; that Bels ;um must be eva
oua'ed and restored, no matter what
sacrifices and concessions tina, may
involve; and that national aspira ions
must I've satisfied even within his own
empire, in the common interest OF
Europe and ma nllinG.
II he is silent about questions which
touch the interest and purpose of his
allies moro nearly than they touch
those of Austria only. i; must OF
course be because he feels constrained.
l sunnose. 10 defer to Germany and
Turkey in the circumstances
Seeing and conccding, as he does.
tho essential principles involved and
the necessity OF c. mildly appiyin.
them. h. naturally feels that Austria
can respond TO the purpose of peace
as expressed by tho United States with
less embarrassment than could Ger
many. lie would probably nave gone
much farther had IL not been for the
embarrassmen,s OF Austrias alliances
and or her dependence unon Germany.
PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN
COMPARISON Or VIEWS
After all the test OF whether il is
possible for either government TO 90
any further in this compa rison OF
Views is simple and obvious. The
principles TO be applied are these:
First That each part Of the anal
settlement mus; be based upon the
essential justice of that particular case
and upon such adjustments as are
most likely to bring peace that Will
be permancnt;
Second. That peoples and provinces
are not to be bartered about from
sovereignty as il they were mere chat
tells and pawns in Il game even the
great game. now forever discredi,cd. OF
the balance Of power: but that
Third. Every territorial settlement
Involved IN this war must bs made in
The interes, and for the bens:i, OF the
populations concerned. and not as :.
Fart OF any nero adjustment or cor. :
promise Of claims amongst rival states:
and
Fourth. That all wall-defncd ma =
t'onal aspirations shall! be accorded the
most Satisfaction that can he accorded
them without Introducing new or per
pttuatinE old elements of discord and
, antas onism that would he likely In
time To break the peace of Europe and
consequently OF the world
4 rkneraI neare era..ed nnn, -,,,,l
foundations can be discussed Until
such peace can be secured We have
no choice but 10 go on. SO far as we
"-n Judge, these principles that we
regard as fundamental are already
everywhere accepted as imperativ
esc.pi among the spokesman OF the
military and anneHationi.t party in
GeEma!'Y. II they have anywhere else
he.n rejected the nhjectors have not
hetn sufficiently numerous OF iuAuen-
tia! 10 make their voices audible The
ragical circumstance is that this one
party in Germany is apparently will
ing and able 10 send millions 81 men
TO their death TO prevent what all the
| world now sees 10 he just.
NEVER TURN FROM COURSE
CHOSEN UPON PRINCIPLE:
SHutu not be true Spoh eSDl3n q Z
the people Of the United States ir did
not say once more that We entered thia
war upon no small occasion. and tina
We can never turn back from a course
chosen upon principle. Our resources
are IN part mobili2ed now, aud we
shall not pause until they are moDi-
l.Iod ia their entirety. Our armies are
rapidly going 10 the lighting front.
ana Will 80 more aud more rapidly.
our whole strength viii he pat into
this war Of cmancipation--eInu rcipa
tion from tho threat and ATTEMPTED
mastery OF selfish groups az autocratic
ru!erS--whatever the difficulties and
present partial delays. We are indom-
table in our power OF independent, nc.
ton AND can in no circumstances; con
, sent 10 live in Il world governed BY
Intrigue and FORCE.
We believe that our own desire for
new international order under which
| reason and Justice and the common in
terests OF mankind shall prevail il
the desire OF enlightened men every
Hhere. without that new order the
world will be without peace and hu-
man lie will lack toIerohlc conditions
~ existence and development. Having
/ set our hand TO the task of achicvin.:
" IN M t-s