The Washington times., 1919-01-19

heard here and there, and captive ma
tionalities. from the depths of their
age-long jails, cried out to us for help.
Yet more, they escaped to come to our
aid.
Poland Came to Life,
Poland came to life again. sent US
troops. The Czecho-Slovaks won
their right to independence in ST.
IBERIA, in France, and in Italy. The
Jugo-Slavs. the Armenians, the
Syrians, and the Lebanese, the Arabs,
all the oppressed peoples, all the vic
Tins long helpless or resigned of
great historic deeds Of injustice, all
the martyrs of the past: all the ou'-
ragged consciences. all the strangIsd
liberties reviewed the clash OF arms
and started toward us as their natural
defenders. e..
"War gradually attained the full
ness OF its first significance and be-
came, In the fullest sense OF the
term, a crusade of humanity for
right, and, il anything can console
us. in part at least for the losses
we have suffered, il is assuredly .he
thought that our victory is also the
victory or right. This victory is corn
plete, for the enemy only asked for
the armistice to escape from an ir-
retrievable military disaster. In the
interest Of Justice and peace. it NOW
rests with you to reap from this VIC
tory its full fruits. 49, .. -...'..
In order to carry. out this I'm
meRse task. ypu-haye decided 10 .ad=
init at first only the allied or asso-
ciAted powers. aud in so far as their
interests are involved in the debates,
the nations which remained neutral
You have thought that the terms Of
peace ought to, be settled among. our
selves before they are communicated
to those against whom we have to-
gether fought the good fight. ..
soHs arify Uninpaired.
"The solidarity which has united
US during the war and has enabled
us to win military success ought to
remain unimpaired during the nego-
tiations for and after the signing Of
the treaty.
at is not only governments. but
free peoples, who are represented
here. Through the test of danger
they have learned to know and help
one another. They want their init
mates of yesterday TO assure the peace
OF tomorrow.
VainIy would our enemies seek to
divide US il they have not yet re-
nounced their customary maneuvers.
They will soon find that they are
meeting today, as during the hostili-
ties, a homogeneous block which
| nothing will be able TO disintegrate.
Even before the armiStice, you
placed that necessary unity under
the aid OF the lofty moral and politi-
| cal traits of which President Wilson
| has nobly made himself the inter
prefer. and in the light of these
! truths you intend to accomplish your
! mission.
You will therefore seek nothing
| but justice--justice that has no ia
vorites: justice in territorial prob
| lens: Justice in financial probleps;
| justice in economic problems.
But justice is not inert: il docs
| not submit TO injustice.
Justice demands. first, when it has
| been violated, restitution and repara-
! ton for the peoples and individuals
| who have been despoiled or maltreat-
ed. IN formulating this lawful claim.
| Justice obeys neither hatred nor an
| instructive or thoughtiess desire for
! reprisals: il pursueS tWo-fold OBJ
| ject, 10 render to each his due and
| not TO encourage crime tnFOuSn led'-
| ing it unpunished.
| Punishmcnt of Guilty.
What justice also demands. in
! spired by the same feeling, is the
punishment of the guilty and effec-
| tive guarantees against an active re-
! turn of the spirit By which they were
prompted. And il is logical TO de
! mand that these guarantees should
be given. above all, to the nations
that have been and might again be
! most exposed to aggressions or
| threats: to those who have many
times stood in danger of being sub
merged by the periodic tide OF the
| same invasion.
What justice banishes is the dream
OF conquest and Imperialism. contempt
for national will. the arbitrary eN-
change OF provinces between states, as
! though peoples were but articles "f
| furniture or pawns in a game. The
! time is no more when diplomats could
meet to redraw, with authority, the
map of empires on the corner of ta-
| BILE. If you are to remake the map Of
The world, it is in the name OF the
peoples and on condition that you
shall faithfully interpret Their
thoughts and respect the rights VI
nations, small and great, TO dispose
| of themselves and to recognize the
| rights OF minorities-a formidable
task, which scienc anc history, your