Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-07-23
TRIUMPH FOR
AMERICAN IDEALS
Peace Treaty the Most Momentous
Document Ever Prepared by
the Hand of Man

The Treaty of Paris is the longest
single treaty ever signed. 1t is six
times as long as the treaties of the
peace of Westphalia Q64S) and ten
times as long as the treaty of Vienna
1S15); it is as long as the latter and
all the subsidiary treaties resulting
from it. Though it covers more
ground than any other treaty made,
it was prepared iR half the time re-
quired for the peace of Vienna, and in
less than one-tenth of the time re-
CURED for the treaty of Westphalia
This phenomenal result is attributed
by European statesmen to the initial
adoption of the Covenant of the
League OF Nations, which provides for
the future settlement of large num-
Der of perplexing problems. Despite
opinions to the contrary, the verdict
of history will unquestionably be that
the Peace of Paris carries into effect
to a remarkable degree the program
accepted in advance by the peoples
of the world, and embodied in the
Fourteen Points put forth by the
American government on January 8,
1918, ten months before the actual
signing of the armistice.
Of the Fourteen Points thus &C
cepted by world in arms, serious
objection has been raised to only one,
the 18th. That objection has come
from faction in the United States
Senate. This 14th Point as embodied
in the treaty is Article X, of the
Covenant Of the League of Nations.
Germany herself has insisted upon it
as an essential part of the peace.
The treaty as signed makes a new
world, politically physically, morally
and spiritually. The mandatory sys
tenn ends the old regime of exploita
ton, and makes wards of the whole
world in Asia, Africa and the isles of
the sea. The Treaty has established
in the place of artificial states natural
political and national units. 1t has
removed from the map numerous his
toric wrongs which have long served
to embitter the international rela
tiOns. 1t has set the world upon a
new path Of progress marked by the
following guide posts:
l. International cooperation, in
GLIDING the consolidation Of all exist
ing international administrative ac-
tivities.
2. Extensive machinery for c.
operation in League Of Nations open
to all that prove worthy Of member
ship.
3. The creation Of a labor CON
ference and labor bureau to solve the
problems of an industrial civilization
4. A pledge to reduce armaments.
and as first step toward it the dis
arming of the one nation whose geo.
graphical situation has made it
menace to the world.
5. The abolition of conquest b,
Article x, without interfering with
other methods of territorial adjust
ment.
6. The declaration that any war is
matter of concern to all, and the
erection of machinery for dealing with
conditions which endanger the peace
Of the world.
7. An agreement not to go to wa
before peaceful settlement Of disputes
has been tried.
s. Automatic provision sanctions
for the punishment of the breach of
agreements voluntarily taken.
8. A representative Assembly
meeting regularly and, among other
things, carrying on the work of codi-
flying and revising international law
begun by the Hague Conference.
The treaty is the most momentous
document ever prepared by the hand
of man. 1t sets the world right about
face. II marks the triumph of Amer
lean ideas, policies and institutions,
by extending to a league OF sovereign
nations the democratic principles first
embodied in our league of sovereign
states.
EDWARD CUMMINGS,