The Washington herald., 1918-11-05
PEACE ADVENT
FRAUGHT WITH
NEW DANGERS
Nation Must Look Forward
to Participation in
Trade War.
FORESEEN DIFFICULTY
Will Take a Year to Get
Our Legions Home,
Officials Say.

ccrned with the consideration of
international and peace questions
last night stated that the United
States has taken no steps looking
TO the participation by this coun-
try in great civil and military
court for the trial of those guilty
of crimes during the war, as sug-
gested by Sir Frederick Edward
Smith, British attorney general.
Possibilities of Court Discussed.
Although officials admit that the
possibility Of such action has been
discussed in an informal manner by
some of the administration legal su-
thorlues, the opinion appears general
that the United States will take no
iesdlhg part in the creation OF such
court. The United States. through
submarine warfare and through the
activities of enemy agents, has suf-
teled IN wealth and lives, and while
II is admitted that such cases might
properly be placed before an inter
hauonal court, there has as vet been
no indication that the United States
VIII demand reparation or indemni-
ties from her beaten foes
In line with this policy the United
states has also been placed on req
ord as holding that the signing of
peace terms should give to all ma
tons equal rights in the worlds mar
kets. There can be no Doubt tbat
me war has brought a deep-seatad
antasonism against Germany and Ger
man products in many of the great
est trading centers and the renorted
action of a French mercantile or
sanlzation in urging trade preferen-
tlal agreements brings no surprfsa IN
administration officials intrusted with
Ile responsibility of planning for the
economic warfare which must come
with the signing Of peace treaties.
The Old Order Chansetb.-
With every hour the great probIar,s
OF reconstruction loom nearer All
administration authorities are agreeo
that discussion of the war after war
Is impossible until the peace terms
are oraWn up. They say that the
question OF possible indemnities to be
uenahded from the central powers
must nave a great bearing upon the
Iela'lohs which the victorious nations
Will permit with their beaten enemies
IN other words. it will be impossible
Tor the insolvent central powers to
attempt payment of indemnities ana
the restoration of devastated terri
tories unless their
opportunity through foreign trade to
exchange for their productivity the
means for restoration and reparation.
As an example of the many intricate
problems which will confront this ma
ton within a short time a prominent
official today pointed out the desper-
ate shipping needs of the United
States. He said: The placing of
more than 100000 American soldiers
in France has forced our Shipping
Board to comb the sea avenues for the
ships necessary to transport supplies.
With the coming Of peace this country
could not transfer from France to this
country her foreign legions in less
than a year. and then only by using
every ship we have and the full power
of our navy.
Bringing the Boys Home.
Much has been said about bridging
the sea with ships, but the United
StStes did not really begin to pro-
duce ships until June and July of
this year. The United States people
must wake up to the realization that
with the signing of peace terms the
United States must devote the first
year of peace to transferring her
troops. In that time Germany will
have at least 5000, 900 tons of shipping
seeking out foreign trade centers. ac-
lively competing with British inter-
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.