The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-16

aud will not return to that. what
~ at stake now Is the peace of tns
world What We are striving for Is
new international order based upon
nroad and universal principles OF
right and justice-no more peace OF
snreds and patches. 1t Is possible that
Count Won Hertling does not see that,
does not grasp 1t. is in fact living In
his thought in world dead and gone =?
Has he utterly forgotten the reichstas &
resolutions of the 10th Of July, or
does ne deliberately ignore them .
They spoke of the conditions of a
general peace, not Of national aggran-
dizement or OF arrangements be
tween State and state.
Tho peace of the world depends
UPON the just settlement of each Of
the several problems to which 1 adj
vcrted in my recent address to the
congress. i. OF course, do not mean
that the peace of the world depend.
Upon the acceptance of any particular
set of suggestions as to the way in
which those problems are to be dealt
With. l mean only that those prob
lens each and all affect the whole
world; that unless they are dealt with
in spirit OF unselfish and unbiased
Justice, with view to the wishes.
the natural connections, the racial as.
pirations, the security and the peace
Of mind Of the peoples involved, no
permanent peace will have been At =.
tained. They can not be discussed
separately or i'm corners None OF
them constitutes private or sepa-
rate interest from which the opinion
o. the world may be shut out. What
ever affects the peace affects man
kind, and nothing settled by military
force, il settled wrong. is settled at all
1t will presently have to be reopen.
&C.
"1s Count Won Hertling not aware
that he is speaking in the court of
mankind. that all the awakened ma
ticns of the world now sit in judg-
ment on what every public man, OF
whatever nation. may say on the is
sues OF a conflict which has spread IT,
every region of the world? The
reichstag resolutions of July them
selves frankly accepted the decisions
OF that court. There shall be no an
nexations. no contributions, no punt
tive damages. Peoples are not to be
handed about from one sovereignty TO
another by an international confer
cnce or an understanding between RI
vals and antagonists. National as.
pirations must be respected; peoples
may now be dominated and governe
onlv' by their own consent. 'Self-d,'
termination is not a mere phrase. |
's ar imperative principle Of action.
which statesmen will hcnccforth ig-
more at their peril. We can not have
general peace for the asking, or by tho
mere arrangements OF a peace con-
terence. IL can not be pieced togeth-
or cut of individual UNDERSTANDINGS
between powerful States. All the par-
ties TO this war must join In the set
tiement OF every issue anywhere in.
vowed In 1t; because what we arc
seeking Is peace that we can all.
unite TO guarantee and maintain and
every item of 1t must be submitted TO
the common Judgment whether IL be
righE and fair. an act OF justice. rath.
er than bargain between sovercigns
Inc United States has no desire 10
interfere in European affairs or to ne,
as arbiter in European territorial dis
putes' She would disdain to take ad.
vantage of any internal weakness q
disorder to impose her own will unon
another people. She is quite readv ,o
Dc SHOWN that the settlements she has
suggested are not the best or tho
most enduring. They are only bor
own provisional sketch OF princin,o,
and OF the way in which they shou,J
be applied. But she entered this w,r
because she was made partner
whether she would or not. i'm tho o,r-
ferings and indignities inflicted by the
military masters of Germany, against
the peace and security of mankind
and the conditions of peace will touch
her as nearly rs they will touch any
other nation to which is entrusted
leading part i'm the maintenance oc
civilization. She can not see her woy
to peace until the causes of this war
are rem owed. it's renewal rendered as
nearly as may be impossible.