The Benson signal., 1918-02-16

u0W DtIduC VI pOWcI oISduy d9dluSI 6A-
ternal disturbances.
1t must be evident to every one who
understands what this war has
wrought in the opinion and temper OF
the world that no general peace no
peace worth the infinite sacrifices OF
these years of tragical suffering, can
possibly be arrived at in any such
fashion The method the German
chancellor proposes is the method of
the Congress of Vienna. We cannot
and will not return to that. What is
at stake now is the peace of the world
What we are striving for is a new in
ternational order based upon broad
and universal principles of right and
justice-nO mere peace of shreds and
patches.
Is HertIing Living in World of Past? !?
Is it possible that Count Won Hert-
ling does not see that, does not grasp
it, is it in fact living in his thought
in world dead and gone? Has he
utterly forgotten the Reichstag resolu-
tions of July 19, or does he deliberate
ly ignore them? They spoke of the
conditions of general peace, not of
national aggrandizement or of arrange
ments between state and state. The
peace OF the world depends upon just
settlement of each of the several prob
lens 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 sug-
gestions as to the way in which those
problems are to be dealt with | mean
only that those problems, each and all,
affect the whole world; that unless
they are dealt with in a spirit of un-
selfish and unbiased justice, with a
view to the wishes, the natural con-
nections, the racial aspirations, the Sc
cur1ty and peace of mind of the peo-
pies involved, no permanent peace will
have been attained.
They cannot be discussed separately
or in corners. None of them consti-
tutes private or separate interest
from which the opinion of the world
may be shut out. Whatever affects
the peace, affects mankind and moth
ing settled by military force, if settled
wrong, is settled at all. 1t will present
ly have to be reopened.
Is Count Won Hertling not aware
that he is speaking in the court OF
mankind, that all sthe awakened ma
tions of the world now sit in judgment
on what every public man, of whatever
nation, may say on the issues of con-
flict which has spread to every region
of the world? The Reichstag resolu-
tions of July themselves frankly ac-
cepted the decisions of that court.
Annexations and Indemnities Barred.
There shall be no annexations, no
contributions, no punitive damages.
Peoples are not to be handed about
from one sovereignty to another by in
ternational conference or an under
standing between rivals and antagon-
lists. National aspirations must be re-
spected; peoples may now be domin-
ated and governed only by their own
consent.
"Self-determination" is not a mere
phrase. 1t is an imperative principle
of action, which statesmen will hence
forth ignore at their peril. We can
not have general peace for the asking
or by the mere arrangements of a
peace conference. 1t cannot be pieced
together out of individual understand
ings between powerful states. All the
parties to this war must join in the
settlement of every issue anywhere in
vOlved in it because what we are seek
ing is a peace that we can all unite
to guarantee and maintain and every
item of it must be submitted to the
common judgment whether it be right
and fair, an act of justice, rather than
a bargain between sovereigns.
The United States has no desire to
interfere in European affairs or to act
as arbiter in territorial disputes. She
would disdain to take advantage of
any Internal weakness or disorder to
impose her own will upon another peo-
pie. 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 partner, whether she
would or not, in the sufferings and
indignities inflicted by the military
masters of Germany against the peace
and security Of mankind; and the con-
ditions Of peace will touch her as
nearly as they will touch any other ma
tion to which is intrusted a leading
part in the maintenance of the civili-
zation. She cannot see her way to
peace until the causes of this war are
removed and it's renewal rendered as
nearly as may be impossible.
This war had it's roots in the dis
regard of the rights of small nations
and of nationalities which lacked the
union and the force to make good
their claim to determine their own al
legiance and their own forms of polit-
ical life.
Covenants must now be entered into
which will render such things impos-
BILE for the future; and these cove
nants must be backed by the united
force of all the nations who love JUS
tice and are willing to maintain it at
any cost If territorial settlements
and the political relations of great
populations which have not the organ
lied power to resist are to be deter
mined by the contracts of the power
FIJI pOVarnm ontc which c0pcidoy,