Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-12
Docs Not Grasn Fncts

July, or does he deliberately ignore
them?
They spoke of the conditions of
general peace, not of national ag-
grandizement or of arrangements be-
tween state and state. The peace of
the world depends upon the Just
settlement of each of the several
problems to which l adverted in my
recent address to the Congress. l,
of course, do not mean that the
peace of the world depends upon
the acceptance of any particular set
of suggestions as to the way in
which those problems are to be dealt
with. L mean only that those prob
lens each and all affect the whole
world; that unless they are dealt
with in a spirit of unselhsh and un-
biased justice, with a view to the
wishes, the natural connections, the
racial aspirations, the security. and
the peace of mind of the peoples
involved, no permanent peace will
have been attained.
They cannot be discussed sepa-
rately or in corners. None of them
constitutes a private or separate in
terest from which the opinion of the
world may be shut out. Whatever
affects the peace, affects mankind,
and nothing settled by military
force, if settled wrong, is settled at
all. 1t will presently have to be
reopened.
Court of Mankind
rs Count Won Hertling not aware
that he is speaking in the court Of
mankind, that all the awakened ma
tions of the world now sit in Judg-
ment on what every public man, of
whatever nation, may say on the is
sues of Il conflict which has spread
to every region of the world? The
Reichstag resolution of July them
selves frankly accepted the decisions
OF that court. There shall be no
annexation. no contributions, no
punitive damages.
Peoples are not to be handed
about from one sovereignty to an
other by an international confer
ence or an understanding between
rivals and antagonists. National
aspirations must be respected; peo-
pies may now be dominated and gov
erned only by their own consent.
'Self-determination" is not mere
phrase. 1t is an imperative principle
of action, which statesmen will
henceforth ignore at their peril. We
cannot have general peace for the
asking, or by the mere arrangements
of a peace conference. 1t cannot
be pieced together out of individual
understandings between powerful
states.
"All the parties to this war must
join in the settlement of every issue
anywhere involved in it; because
what we are seeking is peace that
we can all unite to guarantee and
maintain, and every item of it must
be submitted to the common judg-
ment whether it be right and fair,
an act of justice rather than a bar
gain between sovereigns.
u. $. Not to Interfere
THE United States has no desire
to interfere in European affairs or
to act as arbiter in European terri
torial disputes. She would disdain
to take advantage of any internal
weakness or disorder to impose her
own will upon another people. She
is quite ready TO be shown that the
settlements she has suggested are
not the best or the most enduring.
They are only her own provisional
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 indignities inflicted by the mill
tary masters of Germany against
the peace and security of mankind;
and the conditions of peace will
! touch her as nearly as they will
! touch any other nation to. which is
entrusted a trading part in the main
tenance of civilization"
"The peace of the world depends
upon the just settlement of each oi
the several problems to which
! adVerted in my recent address tC
! the Congress. /, of course, do MOI
mean tnat the peace of the worlC
depends upon the acceptance of any
set of suggestions as to the way II
| which those problems are to be dealt
with. l mean only that those prob.
| lens each and all affect the whole
! world; that, unless they are deal
with in a spirit of unselfish and nm
biased justice, with a view to the
wishes, the natural connections, the
racial aspirations, the security anC
! peace of mind of the peoples in
volved, no permanent peace will
have been attained. They canno
! be discussed separately or in cor
ners. None of them constitutes 6
| private or separate interest from
which the opinion of the world may
be shut out.
Whatever affects the peace af
fects mankind and nothing settled
| by military force, if settled wrong
is settled at all. 1t will present.!
have to be reopened.
All Mankind Is the Court
"Is Is Count Won Hertling no
aware that he is speaking in tn,
court of mankind, that all the awak
/ ened nations of the world now sit il
j judgment on what every public man
of whatever nation, may say on thu
issues of a conflict which has spread
| to every region of the world? The
! Reichstag resolutions of July them
selves frankly accepted the decisions
of that court.
! There shall be no anneXations
no contributions, no punitive dam
ages. Peoples are not to be handed
I about from one sovereignty to an
4 other by an international conferenc,
or an understanding between rivals
and antagonists. National aspira
tions must be respected; peoples ma,
now be dominated and governed onl!
i by their own consent. 'Self-determi
nation is not a mere phrase. 1t i
an imperative principle of action
which statement will hencefortl
ignore at their peril.
I'VE cannot have general peace TO
the asking, or by the mere arrange
ments of a peace conference. /
cannot be pieced together out of in
dividual understandings between
powerful states. All the parties t.
this war must join in the settlemen
of every issue anywhere involved il
it, because what we are seeking is
peace that we can all unite to guar
antee and maintain, and every iten
} of it must be submitted to the com
} mon judgment whether it be righ
} and fair, an act of justice, rathe
than bargain between sovereigns
THE United States has no desir
to interfere in European affairs o
} to act as arbiter in European terri
torial disputes She would disdaiI