New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-07-02
Peace With Y e,ageo ,sce J.
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Continued from page 4.
more by vengeance or commercial greed
than by q desire for reparation. The
treaty deprives Germany Of coal and
other raw materials she once owned and
gives her no assurance of securing them
by trade with other nations without dis
eliminating tariffs. It is however yet
to be proved that the Allies have dis
covered a way to collect the indemnity
or to cripple Germany by their general
economic demands which will not in the
long run hurt them almost as much as
Germany herself. The provision for
Allied occupation Of the left bank Of the
Rhine for fifteen years is. a bit Of inn
perialism which may. in the end prove
disastrous in its effect on the Powers
who have to provide the troops.
Indeed it may yet appear that the
most serious consequences Of the treaty
will spring not from its injustice to
Germany, but from its effect upon the
victors. Germany is disarmed: the. VIC
tors must keep up the grievous burdens
Of ornaments: Germany perfcrce must
turn her energies from dreams Of empire
to internal reconstruction: her con-
querors are still at the mercy of that
imperialistic fever from which ciyili-
cation has all but persisted.
More important than detailed criti-
cism Of the Peace is consideration Of
the spirit behind it. In the face Of all
history the Allies are trying to secrre
the happiness Of the future by settle
ment based on self righteousness, ven
geance and covetousness. Suppose Jesrs
were now to speak in the streets Of
Paris as once he spoke in Jerusalem.
Surely he would not condone the awful
guilt of Germany's crimes: surely he
would grieve that the spirit of penitence
had not yet laid greater hold upon that
proud and seornful empire. Yet he
who scathingly rebuked self righteous
ness would have word to say to her
conquerors. Where is the nation with
out sin? Certainly none of those who
spent their hundreds of, millions upon
armies or navies before the war;, Ger
talnly none of those who played the
cynical and selfish game of world politics
as it was practiced by the European
concert from the Congress of Vienna
to August l, 1914. Has Germany been
the only oppressor? Ask the Congo,
ask Morocco, Ireland, India, Egypt,
Korea, the Negroes of the United States,
the little nations around the Caribbean
Sea. Did Germany alone STAY women
and children? Ask the thousands Of
fathers and husbands of all Eastern
and Central Europe who have seen their
beloved perish by reason Of the blockade,
not alone in time of war, but long after
the armistice was signed. Was the
German invasion of Belgium in defiance
of all justice and right? What then Of
the presence Of American troops in
Russia, with which country we are not
at war? What of the armies of Czechs
and Rumanians which the Allies are
using to- crush the Soviet Republic of
Hungary which the people established
without the shedding of blood? What Of
the sixteen wars that the Council Of
Three will not or cannot stop while
they discuss the peace of the world?
Vengeance will not teach Germany the
enormity of her sins but the penitence
of all her foes might prove contagious,
and out Of the mingled sorrows Of all
nations for their sins, and out of their
mutual forgiveness might rise cleansed
and holy brotherhood of the peoples Of
the earth. Nothing less. than such bro
therhood will deliver mankind from the
recurring agonies Of war.
Even now before the peace is signed
we see how unreal is its security and
hot dangerous are the rivalries of the
victors. France, Italy, Great Britain
and Greece, have conflicting ambitions
in the Near East which no settlement
can perfectly reconcile. Already in Italy,
voices are heard Boosting Of their power
to defeat France. America may vet
be drawn into war under the tenth Ar
ticle Of the Covenant Of the 81 eapue
to help protect Italy from Jugo Slavic
attempt to win Dalmatia. h other
words the Settlement Of Paris IS 4 phastlv
travesty not alone Of the ideals where.
with we entered the war, but Of all o ,l
hopes Of lasting peace.
To what extent Mr.. Wilson Is himsed
to blame for this tragic isappointmenl
| Of the hopes he raised, is question 8,
interest and Of importance which =.
shall not at this time attempt to discuss
/ There is something Of far greater in.
1. portance to be said. However prea,
the shortcomings Of The Council 81 Tire,
isincerity, in vision, in capacity for deal
| ing with momentous problems, what y,
are witnessing ct Paris IS not so much III,