Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-11
AUSTRO CHEFS TALK
IS FAVORABLE
Continued From Page One.)

dominated and governed only by their
own consent.
Not a Mere Phrase.
"Self determination" is not 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 pleced
together out OF individual understand
ings between powerful states. All the
parties to this war must join in the
settlement Of every issue anywhere
involved in it because what we are
seeking is a peace that we can all
unite to guarantee and maintain and
everyitem 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 in
terfere in European affairs or to act
as arbiter in European territorial dis
putes. We would disdain to take ad-
vantage of any internal weakness or
disorder to impose her own will upon
another people. 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 pro-
visional sketch Of principles, and OF
the way in which they should be APP
piled. But she entered this war be-
cause she was made partner, wheth-
er she would or not, in the sufferings
and indignities inflicted by the mill
tary masters of Germany, against the
peace and security of mankind; and
the conditions of peace will tough her
as nearly as they will touch any other
nation to which is entrusted leading
part in the maintenance of civiliza-
ton. She cannot see her way to peace
until the causes of this war are re-
moved, its renewal rendered as nearly
as may be impossible.
Disregard of Rights Caused War.
This war had it's roots in the disre-
gard of the rights of small nations and
of nationafities which lacked the union
and the force 10 make good their
claim to determine their own alleg-
| iances and their own forms of pOlltl-
cal life. Covenants must now be en-
tered into which will render such
! things impossible for the future; and
those covenants must be backed bX the
united force OF, the nations that love
justice and are willing to maintain 1t
| at any cost. If territorial settlements
and the political relations OF great
populations which have not the organ
lied power I'd resist are to be deter
mined by the contracts OF the power
full governments which consider them
selves most directly affected. as Count
Won Hertling proposes, why may not
economic questions also? 1t has come
about in the altered world in when
we now find ourselves that justice and
the rights of peoples affect the whole
| field of international dealing as much
las access to raw material and fair
and equal conditions Of trade. Count
Won Hertling wants the essential bases
of commercial and industrial life to
be safeguarded by common agreement
and guarantee but he cannot expect
that to be conceded him II the other
matters 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 COM
mon agreement in the one field with
out according 1t in the other. ! take
it for granted that he sees that sepa-
rate and selfish compacts with regard
TO trade and the essential materials OF
manufacture would AFFORD no founda-
tion for peace. Neither. he may rest