The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-10-11
ty Of speaking with the utmost frank
ness about the practical implications
that are involved In it.

|
Foe Must Pay Price.
IF 1t be in deed and In truth the
common object of the governments as
ISOLATED against Germany and Of the
nations whom they govern, as believe
it to be, to achieve by the coming set
Elements secure and lasting peace 1T
will be necessary that all who sit down
at the peace table shall come ready
and willing to pay the price, the only
price that will procure it; and ready
and willing also to create in some
virile fashion the only fundamentally
by which it can be made certain that
the agreements of the peace will be
honored and fulfilled.
THAT price is impartial justice in
every item of settlement, no matter
whose interest is crossed not only inn
| partial justice, but also the satisfac-
ton of the several peoples whose for
tunes are dealt with. That indispen-
sable fundamentally is league OF
nations formed under covenants that
will be efficacious.
without such fundamentally by
| which the peace of the world can be
| guaranteed, peace will rest in part
upon the word of outlaws and only
upon that word. For Germany will
have to redeem her character, not only
by what happens at the peace table
but what follows.
"And, as l see it, the constitution OF
that league of nations and the clear
definition of its objects must be part,
Is in a sense the most essential part,
of the peace settlement itself. 1t can
not be formed now. If formed now, 1t
would be merely a new alliance con-
fined to the nations associated against
a common enemy. 1t is not likely that
it could be formed after that settle
ment.
SIT is necessary to guarantee the
peace, and the peace cannot be guar
anteed as an afterthought. The rea-
son, to speak in plain terms again,
why it must be guaranteed, is that
there will be parties to the peace
whose promises have proved untrust-
worthy, and means must be found in
connection with the peace settlement
itself to remove that source of iuse-
curity.
sit would be folly to leave the guar
antee to the subsequent voluntary ac-
ton of the government we have seen
destroy Russia and deceive Roumanja.
Particulars of Terms.
"These, then, are some of the par
ticulars, and l state them with the
greater confidence because | can state
them authoritatively as representing
this governments Interpretation of its
own duty with regard to peace:
"FIRST-The impartial justice
melted out must involve no discrimina-
tion between those to whom we wish to
be just and those to whom we do not
wish to be just. 1t must be justice
that plays no favorites and knows no
but the equal rights of the
several peoples.
"SECOND-No special or separate
interest of any single nation or any
group of nations can be made the
basis of any part of the settlement
which is not consistent with the COM
mon interest of all.
"THIRD-There can be no leagues \
Dr. alliances jor special covenants and
within the general and
common family of the league of ma
ions.
'FOURTH-And more specifically,
here can be no special, selfish, econO-
mic combinations within the league
ind no employment of my force OF
economic boycott for exclusion except
Is the power of economic penalty by
exclusion from the markets of the
world may be vested in the league Of
lations itself as means Of discipline
nd control.
"FIFTH-All international agree
nents and. treaties of every kind must
e made known in their entirety to
he rest of the world.
Special alliances and economic
ivalries and hostilities have been
he prolific sources in the modern
rorld of the plans and passions that
reduce war. 1t would be an insin-
ere as we'll as insecure peace that
id not exclude them In definite and
hiding terms.
"PIain workaday people have demand
d almost every time they came to-
ether, and are still demanding, that
ne leaders of their governments de-
lare to them plainly what it is-ex-
city what it is-that they were seek
lg in this war and what they think
le items Of the final settlement
Mould be.
"They are not yet satisfied with
hat they have been told. They still
,em to fear that they are getting what
ley ask for only in statesmen's terms
only in the terms of territorial ar
and the divisions of pow
and not in terms of broad vision,
Istice and mercy and peace and the
Itisfaction of those deep-seated long
gs Of oppressed and distracted men
I'd women and enslaved peoples that
EN- to them the only things worth
yhfinp q war for that enpuJfs tho