The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-18
SORTING EN- OUT

In the making Of new nations the most ~perplexng task
that will fall to the lot of the peace conference is in sorting
out the various peoples that have been scattered about one way
and another so that some sort of photographic unity may be
reached. Geographic unity is simple and can be had by CON
suhing the map. The different races do not easily %amalgamate
and they are tenacious Of racial customs and %prejudices.
The new Poland will be a conglomerate mass. A part Of
Lithuania must be included because Eastern Lithuania is popu-
lated in a large measure by Poles. But the Lithuanians are a
people to themselves. The very last to accept Christianity.
they retain many Of their ancient customs and %prejudices. Not
so many years ago a colony of $4,000 Moslems settled in Lith-
uana and have been keeping up and practicng their ancient
pagan religion and customs ever since
zig, and this great port is largely German, although historically
Polish. Another great outlet is the Vistula river, with its i'm
mense and fertile valley, Germany will fight hard to retain
these because they are her open road to the East, She must
be dealt with summarily and compelled to surrender lands that
do not belong to her, if naion-bu1dng is to go on.
r Belgium is also a composite, but Belgium will present less
difficulties. The Begae were originally Waloons, probably a
wandering Asiatic tribe. In the latter centuries one-half Of
the people have been absorbed by or have absorbed the French,
while the other half have mixed with the Germans. Both anal
carnations have become intensely Belgic, so that ethnographic
and political unity are not difficult. Ethnic claims have less
hold on these people than industrial considerations, Belgium
is a beehive of industry, in which all take a part and all find
a common field OF effort.
The Balkans present a serious problem. These little coun-
tries are always in ferment and any attempt to skim the foam
off the top meets with resistance.
Greece wants her ancient patrimony and her people reunited.
but the Greeks are so widely and numerously scattered that any
attempt to reumte them must be abandoned unless Greece is
given more territory than any other European nation is willing
to allow her. There are 100000 Greeks living under forcion
autocrat1c governments, and as these have made their own he'd
they will probably have to lie in it. They cannot expect thc
peace conference to Grecanize the countries where self
expatriated Greeks have chosen to take m their abode The,
must become citizens OF the countries which they prefer to
i,nhabl| That they are badly treated argues nothing Thev
nave no recourse but to get out and return home. or remain
where they are and make the best of it.
o, Mnen a great number of people move out OF their own
ounuy au mo aho{nef' they cannot expect to take their native
country and IT'S customs with them. They are ,est ard
soJonInerS, and must abide by conditions as they find them In
spaun9 out peoples the peace conference cannot candle them as
ey u eggs nor pick them over as they do apples. The work
nus DC done roughly and in large quantities. Self-determina.
un Is fne' but the seltdetermination Of the natives r,ret ho
gwen hrst consideration. Strangers and cxoUcs even Is tho
more numerous, cannot hope to determine fine fac n tho no ,>
~ Inc MagyaFS OF Austria are at home; the Germans and
one' n h@"o.anoes mat have crowded in are visitors and foreign
eS VINO must accept conditions as they find them
ana after the very best is done that can be done there will
&c = 4I"p au PoSS'oe disorder, 1t will take time and patience
Tor things to settle down. All the more bccanse there ao w
many people who do not want them to settle down.