Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-11-16

| more lasting than the selfish COMPETE
tive interests OF powerful states. There
is no longer conjecture as to the OBJ
jects tho victors have in mind. They
have mind in the matter not only,
but heart also. Their avowcd and
concerted purpose Is to satisfy and
protect the weak as we'll as to accord
hteir Just rights to the strong.
ALLIES HUMANE TEMPER
ALREADY DEMONSTRATED
The humane temper and intention
of the victorious governments has al
ready been manifested in very prac
| teal way. Their representatives in
hte Supreme War Council at Versailles
have by unanimous resolution assur
ed the peoples Of the central empires
that everything that is possible in
the circumstances will be done to
supply them with food and relieve
the distressing want that is in SO
many places threatening their very
lives; and steps arc to be taken I'M
mediatcly to organize these efforts at
|
ncr that they were organized in the
case of Belgium. By the use Of the
idle tonnage Of the central empires
| 1T ought presently to be possible to
lift the fear Of utter misery from
their oppressed populations and set
their minds and energies free for
the great and hazardous tasks Of polit
cal reconstruction which now faces
them on every hand Hunger does not
breed reform; it breeds madness and
all the ugly distcmpers tina make an
ordered life impossible.
For with the fall Of the ancient
government which rested like an in
cubus upon the peoples Of the central
merely, but revolutions; and rcvolu.
ton which seems as yet TO assume
no final and ordered form but to run
from one fluid change to another I'M
til thoughtful men are forced to ask
themselves with what governments
and OF. what sorts are we about TO
deal i'll the making of the covenants
OF peace? With what authority win
they meet us and with what assur-
ancc that their authority will abide
and sustain securely the information
nj arrangements into which we arc
about to enter? There is more matter
for small anxiety and misgiving.
| When peace is made, upon whose
promises and engagements besides
our own is ii TO rest?
Let us be perfectly frank with our
selves and admit that these questions
cannot be satisfactorily answered now
or at once. But the moral is not that
there is little hope of an early ans
! wcr that will suffice It is only that
we must be patient and helpful and
! mindful above all Of the great hopo
and confidence that lie at the heart
, OF what is taking place. Excuses &C
complish nothing. Unhappy Russia
has furnished abundant recent proof
Of that. Disorder Immediately defeats
itself. If excess should occur, il dis
order should for o time raise it's
head sober second thought will fol
low and a day OF constructive action
if we help and do not hinder
: The present and all that it holds
belongs to the nations and the PEG.
pies who preserve their self-control
and the orderly processes OF their
governments; the future to those who
prove themselves the true frincds of
mankind. To conquer with arms is
to make only II temporary conquest :;
TO conquer the world by earning its
esteem is to make permanent con-
quest. I am confident that the nat,
ions that have learned the discipline
OF freedom and that have settled with
=, self-posSession to it's ordered practice
are now about to make conquest of
the world by the sheer power OF OK
ample and of friendly helpfulness.
The peoples who have but just
come out from under the yoke of ar
-bitrary government and who are now
coming at last into their freedom will
never find the treasures OF liberty
they are in search Of if they look for
them by the light Of the torch. They
Will find that every pathway that is
stained with the blood Of their own
brothers leads to the wilderness not
TO the seat OF their hope. They are
now face to face with their initial
test. We must hold the light steady
until they find themselves And in
the meantime, if it be possible we
must establish a peace that will just
~ define their place among the nat
ions, remove all fear of their neigh
bors and Of their former masters and
enable them to live in security and
contentmcnt when they have set thoil
own affairs in order. l, for one dc
not doubt their purpose or their ca
paclty. There are some happy signs
that they know and will choose tho
way of self-control and peaceful az
commodation. If they do, we shall
put our aid at their disposal in every
way that we can. If they do, we mus,
await with patience and sympathy
y tho awakening and recovery that will
assurcdy come at last "