Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-09-24
PEACE Or CHAOSi
(New York World

| u . \ u y b !. i 49,
On Sept. 1. 1918, who would have
believed that within twelve months
It would be necessary for President
Wilson to set forth on . tour Of the
county to plead for the ratification Of
q treaty Of peace the terms Of which
had been dictated to German repub-
lie by the victorious Allies and Asso-
ciated Powers! Yet this Is what has
come about.
A year ago the end Of the war and
the issue of the war were alike cloud
ed in doubt and apprehension Com
manders and Chiefs Of Stan were dis
cussing their plans for the campaign
of 1919 and their hopes that the con-
flict could be brought to an end this
year. American soldiers were dying
In blood by the side OF their French
and British comrades In the desper-
ate work q, rolling back the veteran
German armies Id the Hour Of their
extremity. e v
President Wilson's administration
was assailed BY Republicans II com
gress and out Of congress because It
had not rendered still greater assist
ance to the British and the French,
The president was accused by. Re-
publican leaders Of being IN sympathy
with q negotiated peace and OF being
willing to make terms with alGer-
many that had mot been crushed.
Chairman Hayes Of the Republican Ma.
tional Committee said in September,
1918, that "the Democratic leaders in
Washington would end the war with
any kind Of compromise II that
would mean a continuance Of their
party in power" Chairman Fess Of
the Republican Congressional COM
mittee pleaded for the election Of a
Republican Congress on the ground
that Republican success will be a
guarantee against a compromise and
therefore an inconclusive peace"
In November the great German war
machine collapsed; but the partisan
attacks on the president did not
cease. No sooner was it known that
he was to attend the Peace Confer
ence than the Republican campaign
against him was renewed with ten
fold fury. The common accusation
was that he was going to Paris to
save the Germans from the just wrath
of an outraged civilization and that
he would try to give them soft
peace in place of the strenuous peace
that justice demanded. Organized prop
uganda appeared in London and Paris,
lately appeared in London and Paris,
and no effort was spared to discredit
him.
The British and French were warn
ed from day to day that he was not
to be regarded as the Spokesman Of
the American people, and that the
Republican Senate, which must rati-
fy any treaty of peace, was in hearty
sympathy with the extremists in their
demands for dictated peace to be
imposed upon Germany at the point
of the sword. In fact this Republican
propaganda was generally interpreted
in Europe as an assurance that the
Republican Senators would support
any treaty Of peace that French and
British Imperialism drafted, the
harsher the better.
The treaty was finally framed in
spite of the work Of the Senatorial
obstructionists. It was in effect a
dictated peace and a most severe
peace, and a peace which can be de-
Tended only because it creates a
League of Nations to act as a contin-
uing court of equity, to adjust and
modify the terms from time to>time'
as adjustment and modification be-
come necessary. The same. Senators
who were then engaged in trying to
destroy President Wilson's influence
in the Peace Conference are now try
ing to destroy the treaty itself and
are appealing to every element of dis