Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-17

representatives supported the wal
voted the credits, subscribed to til
war loans, obeyed every order, how
ever savage, of their government
They shared the responsibility 70
the policy of the government, for a
any moment, had they willed it, the,
could have reversed it. Had tina
policy succeeded, they would hav,
acclaimed it with the same enthusi
asm with which they welcomed TIL
outbreak of the war They canno
now pretend, having changed thei
rulers after the war was lost, that i
is justice that they should escape
the consequences of their deeds.
THE allied and associated power!
therefore, believe that the peace
they have proposed is fundamental,
peace of justice. They are no les!
certain that it is a peace Of right or
the terms agreed. There can be ne
doubt as to the intentions of the
allied and associated powers to bass
the settlement of Europe on the
principle of freeing oppressed PEG.
Piles and redrawing national boun.
daries as far as possible in accord
ance with the will of the people con.
cerned, while giving to each the ia
cilities to live an independent ma
tional and economic life.
Intentions Made Clear.
These intentions were made
clear, not only in President Wilson's
address to congress of January 8,
1918, but in the principles of settle
ment enunciated in his subsequent
addresses which was the agreed
basis of the epace. A memorandum
on this point is attached to this
letter.
According the allied and asso-
ciated powers have been for the
reconstruction of Holland as an in
dependent state, with free and Sc
cure access to the sea- All terri
tories inhabited by indutiably Pol
ish populations have been accorded
to Poland. All territories inhabited
by German majorities. save for a
few isolated towns and for colonies
established on land recently forci-
bly, appropriated and situated in the
midst of Individually Polish territory
have been left to Germany. Wher-
ever the will of the people is in
doubt, a plebiscite has been provided
for.
"Danzig has been constituted as
free city, so that the inhabitants
will be autonomous, and do not
come under Polish rule or form any
part of the Polish state. Poland has
been given certain economic rights
in Danzig. and the city itself has
been severed from Germany, be-
cause in no other way was it pos
sible to provide for that free and
secure access to the sea which Ger
many has promised to concede."
Clause vi of the treaty says the
allied and associated powers have
given careful consideration to the
request of the German delegation
that Germany be admitted to the
league of nations as one of the con-
ditions of peace, but that the allies
are unable to accede to this request.
No Guarantee of Permanently.
1t adds that the German revolu-
ton was postponed to the last mo-
ment of the war, and that there is
no guarantee that it represents
permanent change, and that it is
impossible in the present temper of
international feeling ito expect the
free nations of the world to sit
down Immediately in equal associa-
ton with those by whom they have
been so grievously wronged."
1t is added that the allied and as
ISOLATED powers believe. if the Ger
man people prove that they intend
to fulfill the conditions of the peace
and that they have abandoned for
ever those aggressive and estrang-
ing policies which caused the war
1T will be possible at an early date
to complete the league of nations
by the admission of Germany there
to-"
Clause VII refers to the denuncia-
ton by Germany of the blockade. of
the allies. 1t declares the blockade
always has been a legal and recog-
nized method of war. 1t adds that
if the allies impose a blockade of
exceptional severity on Germany, it
was because of the criminal char
acter of the war initiated by Ger
many and of the barbarous methods
adopted by her in prosecuting it.
Last Word Is Said.
Clause VIII, says:
I'm conclusion the allied and the
associated powers must make it
clear this letter and the memoran-
dunn attached constitute their last
word. They have examined the Ger
man observations and counter pro-
posals with earnest attention and
care. They have, in consequence,
made important notifications in the
draft treaty. But, in its principles,
they stand by it.
They believe that it is not only
just settlement of the great war
but that it provides the basis upon
which the peoples of Europe can
live together in friendship ard
equality"
The clause adds that the treaty
creates the machinery for the peace
full adjustment of all international
problems by discussion and consent
and represents sincere and delib-
crate, attempt to establish that
reign of law based upon the consent
of the governed, and sustained by
opinion of mankind"
which was the agreed basis of the
peace.
is added that the treaty in its
Dreear+ forv,, ,-,,st ha ,.no0kad orre