Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-28

determine the fortunes 81 peopaee ovey
whom they have no right - -
except tho right ot forusf
'Shail strong nations be frse. -
wrong weak nations and make tne0
subject to their purpose and lntcrcsss
"Shall peoples DO ruled and dcmin-
ated, even In their own internal aHsArs
by arbitrary and irresponsible forcs' Of
by their own will and choice!
"Shall there be common stonosfu
of right and privilege for all peop'es
ana nations. or shall the strong do a.
thew will and tho weak suher watnous
redress?
"shaIl the assertion Of right Dc nap,
hazard and by casual alliance, or snaA'
there be a common concert 10 onis'
the obseryapce Of common rish'ss
OF No Msn's Choosing.
mo man, no group OF men. chose
these TO be the issues OF the strussle'
T,bev are the issues Of II, they must
he settled--by no arrangement or com.
promise or adjustment OF interests. pus
definite,y and once for all and with
full and unequivocal acceptance OF sne
principle that the interest OF the weak
est ia "a sacred az the interest OF the
strongest
"This Is what we mean when We
speak Of permanent peace II We
speak sincerely. intelligently ana WIN
a real knowledge and comprehension
OF the matter we deal with.
I'VE are all agreed that there can %
no peace obtained by any, kind OF bar
gain or compromise with the govern
ments of the central empires. because
We have dealt with them already ana
have seen them dear with other gov
ernmenA that were parties to this
struggle at Brest- Li,ovsk and Bucna-
rest They have convinced us that they
are without honor and do not intend
Justice. They observe no covenants
accept no principle but force and their
own interest. We can not come 10
terms with them. They have made II
impossible. The German people must.
by this time. be fully aware that we
can NOT ACCEPT the word OF those who
forced this war upon US. We DO NOT
think the same thouhts or speak the
same language Of agreement.
at is Of capital importance that we
should also be explicitly agreed tnat
no peace shall be obtained by any Kino
of compromise or abatement OF the
principles we have avowed as the prin-
ciples for which we are fighting. There
should exist no doubt about that !
am, therefore, going to take the liberty
Of speaking with the utmost frankness
about the practical implications that
are involved in II.
MUST Pay the Price.
'Tf it be in deed and IN truth the
common object Of the governments as
sociated against Germany and OF the
nations whom they govern. as believe
II to be, to achieve by settlements
secure and lasting peace. it will be
that all &ho sit down at the peace
table shall come ready and willing to
nav the price, the only price that VIII
procure it; and ready and willing, also'
to create In some virile fashion the
only fundamentally by which 1t can
be made certain that the agreements
Of the peace will be honored and full
filled.
THAT price Is impartial Justice In
every item Of sse settlement, no mat
ter whose interest," Is crossed: and not
only impartial justice. but also the
satisfaction of several peoples whose
fortunes are dealt with. That indis-
pensable instrumentality II league OF
nations formed under covenants that
will be efficacious Without sach an
instrumentality by which the peace OF
the world can be guaranteed. peace
will rest in part upon the word OF out
laws and>only upon that word. For
Germany will have to redeem her char
acter, not by what happens at the
peace table. but by what follows.
And, as / see It, the constitution
Of that league Of nations and the clear
dehnition Of Its objects must be a part
is in sense the most ESSENTIAL part
of the peace settlement itself. 1t can
not be formed now. II formed now, 1t
would be merely a new alliance con-
fined to the nations associated against
a common enemy. It Is not likely that
1t could be formed after the settlement.
1t is necessary to guarantee the peace.
and the peace can not be guaranteed
as an fter-thought.
"The reason. to speak in plain terms
again. why 1t must be guarapteed. 10
that there win be parties to the peace
whose promises have proved ufrust-
worthy, and means must be found In
connection with the peace settlement
itself 70 remove that source Of inse-
curity. 1t would be folly to leave the
guarantee TO tho subsequent voluntary
action Of the governments ~ have
seen destroy Russia and deceive Rou-
mania.
But these general terms dc. ~ dis
close the whole matter. Some details
are needed to mako them sound less
like a thesis and more like practical
program
Bill of Particulars.
these, then, arc some Of tho par
ticulars, and state them with the
greater confidence because I can state
them authoritatively as representing
this governments Interpretation OF its
own duty with regard to peace:
First, tho impartial Justice meted
out must involve NO discrimination be-
tween those TO whom We wish to be
lust and those 10 whom NO do not wish
to b Just. r must DO . Justice that
plays no favoYites and knows no
standard bnt tho equal rights Of tho
several peoples concerned.
Second, no special Or separate In
terest Of any single nation Or dhy group
Of nations can be maAe, the basis Of any
part Of the settlement which is not
consistent with the common interests
Of all
Third, there can - no league or
alliances, or special covenants, and un-
derstandings with the general and COM
mon family OF the league of nations.
Fourth. and moro specifically. there