Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-05-12
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THE PEACE,OF VERSAILLES.

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Chicago Tribune: Without polnp
and the fanfare of victorious trumpets
the great drama Of Prussian world con-
quest came to it's tragic close at VersailE
les when Wednesday, May Z, 1919, the
terms Of the allied nations were receiv-
ed by the German delegates. Across
that fateful volume of $4,000 words
might have been written the words Of
the prophet They that take the sword
shall perish with the sword,' for what
ever fortune follows in the path of over
throw, the Prussian dream is gone for
ever.
No people since Rome has cherished
so towering an ambition as the Ger
mans and none, not even the Romans,
have suffered SO swift and complete a
downfall. 1t has been the greatest
gamble in history and hairs breadth
has divided it from success.
Germany PROSTATE.
Today Germany is PROSTATE. The
peace terms which are imposed upon
her and which she must accept OF face
worse fate strip her Of a considerable
portion of her wealth and resources OF,
revival. 1t breaks the saber she rat
tied SO threateningly in the past crises
and scatters her shinging armor. On
the east and southwest her strategic
boundaries are driven ill., Her future
on the sea is foreclosed.
Nevertheless the German people re
main and they possess the qualities
which gave the only foundation to the
Prussian dream of power. Vitality.
self-control, knowledge, method, patti
ent industry, these are her real strength
and cannot be taken from her. No ma
tion of vital people has been DESTROYED
in modern times and it is because of
her acute realization of the capacity Of
the German race and the resilliency OF
great peoples that France, her neighbor,
and England, her rival, have insisted
upon conditions which strip her Of i'm
mediate power to attack.
These terms will seem to many un-
duly harsh; to others not harsh enough.
The psychology Of 1916 or 1917 is not
the psychology Of the Paris conference.
By 1919 compromise had given way to
conquest, and the opportunity offered by
the German defeat to make security
doubly secure for those who for gem
Grafton had lived under the shadow OF
the German sword was humanity ire
|sistible. ~
I h, Situation Remarkable.
The situation developed is the most
remarkable in modern times. But yes
terday the old world was in the hands
of three or four great military powers,
Germany, Great Britain, Russia, and
France, Today Russia is divided into
wrangiing child states, and given over
to, primitive experimentation. Ger
many is disarmed and impoverished.
The Austro- Hungarian composite is
scattered. France, sore stricken by the
war, is hoping to rise upon the ruins
of German enterprise. But Great Brit
ain stands out in unrivaled puissance,
more secure and more powerful than
ever in her history, perhaps the great
est single power since Rome. Her most
fOrmidablesrivals, Russia and Germany,
have been set back in the race. The
only nation capable Of challenging her,
the United States, is the nation with
which she is best able to live in peace,
a nation of kindred mode Of thought
and action, Of profoundly pacific ten
denotes, without Incompatible interests.
If the world is not to have peace dur
ing this generation, 1t will be, SO far as
we can judge. international conditions
at this time. because Great Britain be-
comes infiamed by her own vast power
and cultivates the seeds of revolt
against her. But she will not do so If
she retains that genius for wise COM
promise and modera ton upon which her
safety and progress I'M the past have
been chiefly founded.
The peace treaty, although in one in
strument, consists of two parts, the pro-
visions establishing league OF nations
and the conditions imposed upon Ger
many.
So far as the latter are concerned,
we may assume they will be approved
by our government without attempt at
amendment. They have been formulat-
ed after protracted conference with the
governments associated with us for the
overthrow of the German military pow
er and difference among us now Is not
to be considered. 1t was our interest
that there should be no separate peace
and we are morally bound to support
that which has been agreed upon. AS
to the provisions for the establish
ment of a league Of nations, they are
properly subject Of careful consldera-
fion by the senate. and IL in the opinion