Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-09-28

"If ii be in deed and in truth the
common object of the governments
i associated against Germany and of
the nations whom they govern, as |
! believe it to be, to achieve by the
coming settlements a secure and
/ lasting peace, it will be necessary
( that all who sit down at the peace
table shall come ready and willing
to pay the price, the only price, that
will procure it; and ready and will
: ing also to create in some virile
/ fashion the only fundamentally by
which it can be made certain that
| the agreements of the peace viii
be honored and fulfilled.
That price is impartial justice
/ in every item of settlement, no
matter whose interest is crossed;
not only impartial justice, but also
the satisfaction of the several peo-
pies whose fortunes are dealt with
That Indispensable instrumentality
is a league of nations formed under
covenants that viii be efficacious.
without such instrumentality by
which the pe4ce OF the world can
be guaranteed, peace will rest in
part upon the word Of outlaws and
only upon that word. For Germany
will have to redeem her character,
not only by what happens at the
! peace table, but what follows.
And, as I see it, the constftu-
ton of that league of nations and
| the clear definition Of its objects
must be a part, is in a sense the
most essential part, of the peace
Z S+enIP hta form
ed now. If formed now, it would
be merely a new alliance confined
to the nations associated against
! common enemy. 1t is not likely
that it could be formed after that
settlement
/ at is necessary to guarantee the
/ peace, and the peace cannot be
guaranteed as an afterthought. The
reason, to speak in plain terms
again, why it must be guaranteed,
| is that there will be parties to the
! peace whose promises have proved
Enthusiastically, and means must be
! found in connection with the peace
settlement itself to remove that
source of insecurity.
| 1T would be folly to leave the
guarantee to the subsequent volun-
| tary action of the governments we
! have seen destroy Russia and de-
ceive Rumania.
But these general terms do not
disclose the whole matter. Some
details are needed to make them
sound less like a thesis and more
like a practical program.
Particulars of Terms.
These, then, are some of the
particulars, and l state them with
the greater confidence because 1
can see them authoritatively as
representing this governments in
depreciation of its own duty with
regard to peace:
"Ffrst-The impartial justice
melted out must involve no discrim-
nation between those to whom we
wish to be just and those,t whom
we do not wish to be Just. 1t must
be a justice that plays no1favOrites
and knows no standard but the
equal rights of the several peoples.
"Second-No special or separate
interest of any single nation or any
group of nations can be made the
basis of any part of the settlement
which is not consistent with the
common interest of all.
"Third-There can be no leagues
or alliances of special covenants
and understanding within the gen
eral and common family of the
league of nations.
"Fourth-And more specifically,
there can be no special, selfish,
economic combinations within the
league and no employment of any
force of economic boycott for eX-
clusion except as the power of eco
nomic penalty by exclusion from
the markets of the world may be
vested in the league of nations
itself as a means of discipline and
control.
"Fffth-An international agree
ments and treaties of every kind
must be made known in their en-
tirety to the rest of the world.
Special alliances and economic
rivaIries and hostiIities have been
the prolific sources in the modern
world of the plans and passions
that produce war. 1t would be an
insincere as we'll as insecure peace
that did not exclude them in def
mite and binding terms.
For Only One Open Alliance.
THE confidence with which Il
venture to speak for our people in
these matters does not spring from
our traditions merely and the well
known principles of international
action which we have always pro
fessed and followed.
I'm the same sentence in which
say that the United States will en-
ter into no special arrangements
and understanding with particular
nations, let me say also that the
United States is prepared to as
sumo its full share of responsible !
ity for the maintenance Of the COM
mon covenants and understanding
upon which peace must henceforth /
rest.
We still read WashingtOn's i'm |
mortal warning against 'entangling /
alliances with full comprehension /
and answering purpose. But only /
special and limited alliances en-
tangIe and we recognize and accept
the duty OF a new day in which we |
are permitted to hope for a gen
eral alliance which will avoid en-
tanglements and clear the air of the |
world for common understanding /
and the maintenance of common (
rights.
4na,ro,-- Crnru al na..hA=,