Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-05

is the sine qua non of peace. equality. and cooper
alton. It is a problem closely connect
ed with the limitation of naval armaments and the
cooperation Of the navies Of the world in keeping
the seas at once free and safe" IA
Nothing could be clearer than that! The president
made his position known. and. unless he has changed his
mind in the meantime-and there is no reason to be-
lieve that he has-he holds the same opinion today. But
his policy is attendant with difficulties when one as
sumes the task Of applying it to International affairs as
they exist today. The fact remains that some countries
do not have a window on the sea-" They want it: some
even have warred for it. The president says they should
have it. But how? by the naturalization Of direct
rights of way under the general guarantee. which will
assure the peace of itself" Very we'll: who is to guar
antee the peace What covenants can be made What
concert of action can the nations of the world adopt to
guarantee the peace? Fortunately, these are questions
for the learned men Of Versailles, but these learned men
must act with the wisdom. the judgment and foresight
of the ages. They must remember that Great Britain.
France and Germany agreed to the naturalization of Bel
GUM and pledged their faith and their might to guaran-
tee it. Happily. for the world, Great Britain and France
not only guaranteed 1t, but fought and died and lived
for it. These learned men must remember that Germany,
in the hour Of her might and greed, ignored her pledged
word and struck across Belgium to reach the heart Of
France. They must consider very carefully, then, and
very wisely the guarantees Of peace, if they should de-
eide upon neutralizing the paths to- the sea.
But the freedom Of the seas has other advocates, who
entertain views unlike Mr.. Wilson's. One of these is
Lloyd George, who also is going to Versailles with very
definite and very positive opinions. Lloyd George is 60
ing to fight for the freedom of the seas, in SO far as it
does not mean the Gripping or lessening of England's sea
power. And Lloyd George has much in the way of arsu-
ment much that the learned men of Versailles must ac-
cept and weigh carefully in the scales of international
justice.
The British navy won the war. That may be a broad
statement but the fact remains. Had it not been for the
British navy, the armies of the west never would have
been able to fight as they did. Because Of the British
navy, the Hohenzollern dream of world-power was
wrecked, just as Napoleon's dream was crushed by the
same force. The British navy stood between the Amer
lean ports OF the Atlantic and the German hordes, and
for over four trying years. it kept up its vigil.
Winston Churchill says England will keep her nayx
and very few doubt that he is right. Some even suggest
that the peace conferees might as we'll start out on that
basis, for they will have to agree to it in the end. Britain
always has depended upon her navy. She has sacrificed
her army because of that: that was her misfortune. in
1914, when she had but a mere mob to send to France.
But it is her fortune and the fortune Of the world that
she has depended upon her navy, and the world should
recognize that fact. -.
Great Britain does not want her navy to give her
absolute right in the seas. That is not the idea, as so
many people believe. Her policy is one Of national secur-
ity, and. because she has the broader and greater demo-
cratic policy that sprang from this country, it will be-
come one Of international security. Her navy will be at
the disposal of the League of Nations, should one be
formed toAaid> in policing the seas. If trouble strikes at
the heart OF England, her navy will cease its policing
and become a fighting force of protection. That is az
it should be, and very likely as it will be.