The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-02-15

ed; peoples may now be dominated and
governed only by their own consent.
Self determination" is not mere
phrase. II Is an imperative principle OF
action, which statesmen will henceforth
ignore at their peril. We cannot have
general peace for the asking, or by the
mere arrangements Of peace confer
ence. 1t cannot be pieced together out
Of individual understandings between
powerful states.
All Must Join In.
All the parties to this war must join
in the settlement of every issue any
where involved in II, because what we
are seeking is a peace that we can al
unite to guarantee and maintain and
every item of II must be submitted TO
the common judgment whether II 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 European territorial dis
putes She would disdain TO take ad-
vantage Of any internal weakness or dis
order to impose her own will upon an
other people She is quite ready to be
shown that the settlements she has sug-
gested are not the best or the most en-
during,
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
a partner, whether she would or not. in
the sufferings and indignities inflicted
by the military masters OF Germany,
against the peace and security OF man.
kind, and the conditions Of peace Will
touch her as nearly as they will touch
any other nation to which Is entrusted
leading part in the maintenance OF civil
liZation. She cannot see her way TO peace
until the causes Of this war are removed,
its renewal rendered as nearly as may
be impossible.
This war had its roots in the disre-
gard OF the rights of small nations and
of natonalities, which lacked the union
and the force to make good their claim
to determine their own alegiances ana
their own forms of political life.
Covenants must now be entered INTO
which will render such things impossible
for the future, and those covenants must
be backed by the united force OF all the
nations that love justice and are willing
to maintain II at any cost. II territorial
settlements and the political relations OF
great populations which have not the
organized power to resist are to be de-
termined by the contracts OF the power
full governments which consider them
selves most directly affected, as Count
Won Hertling proposes, why may not eco
nomic questions also?
II has come about in the altered world
in which we now find ourselves that
Justice and the rights OF peoples affect
the whole field of international dealing
as much as access to raw materials ana
fair and equal conditions OF trade: Count
Won Hertling wants the essential bases
of commercial and industrial life 10 be
safeguarded by common agreement ana
guarantee, but he cannot expect that 10
be determined by the articles OF peace are
not handled in the same way as items
In the final accounting. He cannot ask
the benefit of common agreement in the
one field without according 1t in the
other.
/ take It for granted that he sees that
separate and selfish compacts with re-
gard TO trade and the essential materials
OF manufacture would afford no founda-
ton for peace. Neither he may rest as
sured, will separate and selfish COM
pacts with regard to provinces and peo-
pies.
Count Czernin seems to see the funda-
mental elements of peace with clear eyes
and does not seek to obscure them. He
sees that an independent Poland, made
up OF all the indisputably Polish peoples,
who lie contiguous to one another, is a
matter of European concern and must,
OF course, be conceded; that Belgium
must be evacuated and restored, no mat
ter what sacrifices and concessions that
may involve, an that national aspira-
tions must be satisfied, even within his
own empire, in the common interest OF
Europe and mankind.
Feels Restraint.
II he Is silent about questions which
touch the interest and purpose OF his
allies more nearly than they touch those
OF Austria's only, 1t must. Of course, be
because he feels constrained. / suppose,
to defer 10 Germany and Turkey in the
circumstances. Seeing and conceding, as
he does, the essential principles involved
and the necessity of candidly applying
them. he naturally feels that Austria can
respond to me purpose Of peace as eX-
pressed by the United States with less
embarrassment than could Germany. He
would probably have gone much further
had II not been for the embarrassments |
OF Austrias alliances and Of her depend
ence upon Germany.
After all, the test OF whether 1t is pos
sible for either government to go any |
further In this comparison of views is |
simple and obvious. The principles TO |
be applied are .nese:
First-That each part OF the final set |
Element must be based upon the essen |
tial justice Of that particular case and |
upon such adjustments as are most likely |
to bring peace that will be permanent. |
Second-That peoples and provinces are |
not TO be bartered about from sovereignty |
to sovereignty, as II they were mere chat |
tells and pawns in a game, even the great |
game, now forever dscredited, Of the |
balance Of power; but that,
Third-Every territorial settlement in |
voved In this war must ne made in the |
interest and for the benefit Of the popu-
lations concerned and not as a part OF |
any mere adjustment or compromise OF \
claims amongst rival STATES anu
Fourth-That all well defined national /
aspirations shall be accorded the utmost |
that can be accord ed them |
without introducing new or perpetuating |
old elements OF discord and antagonlsm /
that would be likely in time TO break the |
peace Of Europe and consequently OF the
Must Continue.
A general peace erected upon such |
can be discussed. Until such
a peace can be secured, We nave no /
choice but to go on. So far as we can
Judge. these principles that we regard
as fundamental are already everywhere
accepted as imperative except among the |
spokesman of the military and annexa
Zionist party in Germany. II they have
anywhere else been rejected, the object
ors have not been sufficiently numerous
or influential TO make their voices audi
BILE.
The tragieal circumstances Is that this
one party in Germany is apparently Will
ing and able 30 send millions OF men 20
their death TO prevent what all the world
now sees 10 be just
/ would not be a true spokesman OF
the people Of the United States II did
not say once more that we entered this
war upon no small secession. and that
We can never turn back from course
chosen upon principle.
Our resources are in part modified /
now. and We shall MOI pause until they
are modified in their entirety. Our
armies are rapidly going TO the fighting
front, and win go more and more rap
idly.
our whole strength win be put into
this war OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
from the threat and attempted mastery
of selfish groups OF autocratic rulers
whatever the difficulties and present part
tial DELAYS. We are indomitable In our
rover OF independent action and can
In no circumstances consent to live In
a world governed by intrigue and force.
We believe that our own desire for
A new International order under which