The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-05-24
THE TASK OF THE GREAT ALLIES.


consider the practical questions that arising in the
effort of the Paris conference to make efec.ua peace.
That effort is becoming and difficult and then
prospects of worldwide peace grow DINNER the allied
governments appreciate fully their inability to trans
late their ideals into realities Yet there comforting
factors which be ignored in any summary of the
situation.
The Huns have been granted another week in which to
make final reply to the allies The question whether the
Germans will sign refuse to sign is still put forth if
it were the crucial question Fundamentally however,
does not matter much whether the treaty is signed or
not as the German people give every possible warning
that they enemies and will remain enemies, that they
will not comply with the allies terms, and that the only
way which peace be had is to throw away the Paris
treaty and draft another accordance with the German
Interpretation of the fourteen points"
There is doubt whatever that the Germans are ex-
pressing their genuine sentiments and their fixed pur
pose If they sign will be for the purpose of treachery
if they do sign they will be venomousy en-
emes than if they had signed The main point is that
they and will be enemies, treaty treaty That
being the case the treaty cannot be peace treaty in fact
but will be essentially statement of the war settlement
as decided upon by the allied powers If Germany signs
the statement will be called treaty but its execution will
depend upon coercion and force If Germany does not
sign the terms will be executed nevertheless with the
same coercion and force.
The time has not arrived when the allied powers and
Germany can clasp hands in treaty of actual peace
which restoration of friendship The abyss that
separates the Germans from civilized peoples is not brdg
ed by the armsce or by anything in the treaty, but
the contrary, the Germans have grown arrogant
since the signing of the amistce and many persons in
allied countries wish that the hosites had contn-
ued until the German army had been driven to uncon-
dtonal surrender.
Real peace could then have been brought about based
upon overwhelming victory and Germanys eagerness to
buy mercy and compliance with any terms imposed. As
matters stand the Germans gamers by the allies
long and hestatng consideration of the settlement, and
particularly by the injection of the fantastic league of
nations scheme into the midst of the practical task of
rivetng the Huns to their treadmi The allies both
secretly and openly divided in their counses-how wide
the secret divisions may be not permitted to know
differences By evasion by arrogant demands for nego
ations by threats of boshevsm by prompt of logic
in pointing out allied inconsistencies, and by other
the Germans have succeeded in dung the edge of allied
resolves The allies will be very reluctant to
military measures which they would have been delighted
to adopt week before the armsce signed If they
could have been assured then that they could
army of occupation from Cobenz to Berlin without any
German opposition worth mention they would have asked
for nothing better Now they will go to Berlin without
and yet go they must if they to enforce
the terms which they have formulated for the subsection
of the enemy and the collection of ndemntes The Ger
will not assist the allies, whether the treaty signed
or rejected The allies must maintain grip Germanys
throat for at least rs years until the debt is paid
The futlity of league of nations in such state of af
fairs ought to be APPARENT enough without suggesting the
absurdty of declaring the world at peace while Russia
is also running amuck The prospect Immediately ahead
that is for the next quarter of a century--s that
France Great Britain, Italy and the United States must
hold physical control of Germany and be able to ward off
trouble from Russia The task is not for Earring
aggregation of diplomats masquerading league of
It must be performed by the nations that responsible
for the maintenance of civilization and liberty This
not the time for taking the independence of free govern
nents from the control of their peopleW ashngton
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