Arizona republican., 1919-04-05
The Fifth of the Fourteen

We have not heard much or the presldenIs Aoui teen points in recent months except now and then weak demand from Germany that recognition be gwen them in the peace conference whose deliberations to date appear to have concerning matters remote from the subjects raised by the president such as the matter of reparation Altogether with the meager in formation reaching Paris it that the fourteen points are destined to the fate which some years ago MT. Wilson in writing to friend in St. Louis hoped had been reserved for MT. Bryan-to be knocked into cooked hat"
 The first of the points to go by the board was the second in the list declaring for absolute freedom of navigation upon the outside territorial waters. The inclusion of that point could only mean that the president believed that there had been such free dom Great Britain the guardian of the seas declared that there was such freedom and there the matter to have rested pending definition by somebody of the phrase, freedom of the seas.'
 The third point prescrbes the removal of econo mic barriers which so far as have learned has yet been given attention in the peace conference. Nor has the fourth demanding absolute guaranties that armaments be reduced to the lowest point consistent with safety" been considered except in connection with the covenant of the League of Nations where it is rather tentatively touched upon.
 The point concerning which we have heard the most was the fifth containing the principle of self determination which is also touched upon in the fourteenth and last. That polnt IS all It is the keystone the arch the president designed. If it cannot be placed the arch cannot be constructed that point goes, all the others may well go with it. If guarantes integrity be given small and small peoples the peace treaty must leave them exposed the aggressons power full neighbors
 When the Germans accepted the terms of the mistce, hard they appeared to them their main reliance upon the fifth of the fourteen points. They had a hope however ill-founded, that they might retain Asace and Torrance. That point seemed to guarantee them rate, against the loss of of their territory. It for that reason that the fourteen points" were more joyousy accepted in Berlin than anywhere else in the world outside of Washington. It will be remembered that the French and the British were silent.
 France, Belgium and Italy at the very beginning the peace conference began preferring the most ex raordinary territorial claims in which the fifth point entirely ignored Not only it regarded by the French that the principle inappcable to Alsace- Lorraine but the French demanded control of certain Rhenish provinces to be held in much the fashion as the Germans had held the Host provinces Bel gum sought extension of territory the expense of Holland and Luxemburg, two neutral neighbors Italy reached in every direction the north far beyond Italia Irredenta and along the eastern shore the Adriatic regardlesso of the fifth point.
 NOne or these CldHlS nave been abandoned but stage has been reached in the peace conference they must either be decided the fifth and four tenth points must be stricken from the list.
 The rest of the points have been rendered obsolete by circumstances else by other circumstances have been made immediately inappcable. Two of them relate to the evacuation of territories pow CTS had occupied during the and that accom- pshed under the terms of the armistce. The others relate to conditions in Russia Poland Hungary and in parts of the Balkans with which is admitted the conference immediately but is endeavor- ing to find a way
 The crucial point in the negotiations at Paris has been reached The principle self-determination must either stand fall. A compromise would be emasculation and emascuated principle cannot be principle at all
 The president cannot therefore consent to com promise the fifth point. If he he will receive the plaudits of his country of the small nations and of all just men everywhere If he goes down fighting be will have as fully earned these plaudits but if he endeavors to have his face he will be forever dis eredited