New-York tribune., 1919-03-13
Peace.
Delay Fatal,
Lansing Says
Secretary of State, in Paris,
Declares Crisis Is Near.
Unlcs Allies All Agree
s'Fair Play for Enemy
Germany Must Have Chance
TO Meet the Demands of
the \ictors Economically

PARIS, Tuesday, March 12.-"Wc
have reached crisis in the affairs
Of the world,' said Robert Lansing.
American Secretary Of state, at a
banquet given by the Intcr-Al!ied
Press Club in honor of the American
peace commissioners. Mr.. Lansing
was emphatic in his statement that
the Allies must feed Germany and
give the Germans opportunity to sell
their products in the foreign markets.
if the danger Of Bolshcvsm was to
be avoided.
He painted vivid picture of con
ditlons in the war zone of France,
and pointed out it was not through
pity for Germany, but to the Allies
own advantage, to see that anarchy
was prevented in the former German
Empire
Mr.. Lansing said:
ut is always a privilege for an
American who knows the history OF
his country to be present on such an
occasion as this, where the mutual
friendship of France and the United
States a traditional friendship of
nearly century and a half finds
expression in words and Il response in
our hearts.
Recalls Frances Aid
'In the infancy Of our Republic
across The seas the sympathy and aid
Of France gave the support which was
needed 20 make individual liberty the
supreme ruler Of the destinics of the
newborn nation From that time
forward liberty has been and still is
the most sacred and most compelling
impulse in political life in America.
Our policies at home and abroad have
been nodded to that principle. Nc
/ American statesman has dared to de
part from it or TO seek to lessen its
/ influence over American Thought. To-
uGE We Americans are as earnest and
intense in our devotion to human lib
+ cltN rs were our forcbcars in days
when the grandces of France, shoul
der to shoulder with the sturdy coun-
trymen Of Washington, fought for tho
great principle which is the corner
stone of our Republic.
1t was when the people Of the
United States came to a full realiza-
tion that the liberty for which they
had fought, and to which they OWED
their power and prosperity, was ir
danger: when they realized that
France and the great democracies OF
Europe were imperilled from the at
tack of an ambitious autocracy, that
the nation, with unsurpassed unanimi
ty, took UP the sword with a firm de
termination to do its part in freeing
liberty and the world from autocracy
Great Victory Won
"A mighty victory has been won
The imperial armies of the Centra
Powers have ceased to threaten. They
no longer exist. Scattered and broker
they have returned to their homes
where hunger ana privation awai
them hunger and privation which an,
the consequences Of their own blin,
faith in evil mon who led them into
this unrightcous war
"Germany has suffered bitterly, j.
suffering bitterly, and Germany is en-
titled to suffer for what she has done
She has paid a fearful penalty for tn,
crime Of plunging the world int
four years of blood and fire To-da,
starvation and want arc the portion
of the German people. Violence an,
murder stalk through the streets o
their great cities. Political institu
tions, industrial enterprise, and tn
very structure Of society are totter
ing. 1t is the price of their own cvi
doing, the just retribution of thei
crimes.
No Pity for Germans
Owe may be disposed to pity thos
innocent among the Germans, but on
pity is almost dried up when we cou
slider what France and otho nation
have had to suffer from the invadin
armies Of the Teutons. cn day
after landed in France, a Decem
Der, made it my business } visit tn
battleGelds of the Marne. the Aisn
and the Champagne. So the ruin
Of Chateau Yhierry and Fl nes; ! sa,
the stately and historic cathedral Q
Rheims, monument TO the ferocit
Of the Germans; ! saw the scarre
and upturncd hclds Of Champaign
and deserted places where once ha
been thriving, happy villages; sa
hamlcts along tho Marine who's
crumbling walls borc witness to Tn
frightfulness of war. No man cou.
see what | saw in those days withol
those responsible for such ruins an
destruction, without an intense an
uudying hatred for war
France hos endured unspeakab
woes with a fortitude and determnatio
which excite the admiration and wonGt
of the world. | cannot pick words
express the praise | would give 10 tt
French armies and their great general
20 the French people and their grei
> leaders who lived through those blas
days of horror. when stoutost hear
p might well have despairod. What create
price can q man icel than he who
: able TO say, \ was in tho trenches &.
c Nerdun, 4 fought at the Sommo.'
"To these splendid troops who stru
y gled month after month and year aft,
t year without ninching and with his
o courage France and the world owe
debt of gratitude which the ontern
y memory OF man only can repay.
F. And now that the great conflict
:. ended and the mighty war engine
. Prussia is crushed, we have new PRO
J. lens to solve, now dangers to ovC
t como. East of the Rhine there a
famine and idleness, want and miscr
Political chaos and outlawry have su
planted the highly organized COVER
ment of imperial Germany Social o
der is breaking down under the diff
; culties of defeat and the hopelcssne
of the future. Like the anarchy whi
for years made an inferno of Russ
+ the fires of terrorism are aDlaze in [
c states of Germany. Over the ruins
e this once great empire the flames IL
n sweeping westward
T. at is no time to allow sentimen
: Of vengeance and hatred to stand
4.