Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-11

You did not know my brother" re-
sponded the CAPTAIN. GU knew me.
WAS n 6rst-cl2ss man at West Point In
1903"
Impossible" retorted the lieutenant
colonel. Why. the man ! knew is a
THAT was ] two weeks ago." said
the captain.
not often in the men. Almost without
exception the men Who 90, led NO No
problem Of peace as an hndirtsihle
whole, q problem. not OF mere adjust. :
ments of interest. but of justice and
right action.
The atmosphere in which the con-
ference worked seemed created. not by
the ambitions Of strong governments;
small nations and Of peoples hitherto
under bondage 10 the power that vic
tory had shattered and destroyed.
Had to Create New Nations.
Two great empires had been forced
into political bankruptcy, and we were
the receivers. Our task was not only
to make peace with the central empires
and an, remedy the wrongs their armies ns 5
the very rights for which The war had
been fought Dominating allen peoples
to rule. enforcing. not obedience. hut
veritahle bondage. exploiting those who
were weak for the benefit of those who
force of arms. There could be no
peace until the whole order of Central
Europe was set right
to be created-roiand. Czecho -siova kia.
Hungary, itself. No part OF ancient
Poland had ever in any true sense
Austria, or of Russia. Bohemia WAS
alien in every thought and hope to
long been an artificial part: and the
uneasy partnership between Austria
Hungary had been one rather of in
The. Slavs whom Austria had chosen
to force into her empire on the south
were kept to their obedience by moth
their kinsmen In the Balkans. These
were all arrangements, OF power. not
OF ts union or
of those who would make peace. and
make II intelligently.. to establish q
free choice Of the peoples rather than
upon the arbitrary authority OF Haps-
burgs or flohenzollerns.
Colonies Were Exploited.
More than that, great populations
Roumania were also linked against
their will to the conglomerate Austro-
Hungarian monarchy or to other alien
task of peace to make a new Roumania
as well as new Slavic state cluster
ing about Serbia.
found to these new fields of adjust
ment and redemption. 1t was neces-
ohyr reaf S.f tasks Ths colo
mics we're to be disposed OF. They
had not been governed: they had been
e ese mere without the thought Of
human rights Of their inhabitants.
The Turkish Empire. moreover. had
had; 7; mad never had any real unity.
1t had been held together only by
pitilsss; inhuman force. It's peoples
unspeakable distress. for all that the
new day OF hope seemed at last to
bring within it's dawn. Peoples hitherto
helping hand undeveioped peoples
and peoples ready for recognition. but
sponsibilities of statehood. were to be
given adequate guarantees Of friendly
prea' nS ON; guidance and assstsnse:
great enterprises OF liberty sprang OPP
portunities TO attempt what statesmen
had never found the way before 20 90:
an opportunity TO throw safeguards
about the rights OF racial, national
and religious minori,ies by solemn in
ternational covenant; an opportunii,
10 limit and regulate military estab-
lishments where they were most likely
10 be mischievous; an opportunity ia
effect complete and systematic in.
ternationaiization OF waterways and
railways which were necessary to the
free economic life of more than one
nation and to clear many of the norma
channels OF commerce OF unfair oh
struciions OF law or Of privilege: and
me very welcome opportunity TO Sc.
cure for labor the concerted protection
OF definite international pledges Of
principle and practice.
These were not IA SKIS which the con.
ference looked about it TO find ant
were inseparable from the settlement.
OF peace. They were thrust upon Il
by circumsianses which could not BIT
them. In all quarters of the world OLE
establi shed relationships had been dis
turoed or broken and affairs were a
loose ends needing TO be mended Of
what they were before they had /,
ne set right by applying some uniform
principle OF Justice or enlightened ex
pediency And they could not be ad
treaty what should be done. New
States were to be set up which coult
not hope to live through their frs
period OF weakness without ASSURED
consented TO their creation and woi
for them their independence
III governed colonies could not b.
put in the hands OF governments which
were 10 act as trustees for their peo
pie and not as their masters II tner
was TO be no common authority anon,
the nations 10 which they were to b.
responsible in the execution OF thei
trust Future international conyen
tons with regard 10 the control o
waterways, With. regard to ,nicit traf
hc OF many kinds, in arms or II
deadly drugs. or with regard to tn
adjustment OF many varying inferno
Honal administrative Arrangement
could not be assured il the treaty wer,
to provide no permanent common in
'ernationaI agency. II It's execution i,
such matters was 10 be left to Tn,
slow and uncertain processes Of coon
Grafton by ordinary methods OF nego
t:ation.
II the peace conference itself was q
be the end of cooperative authorit,
and common counsel among the gov
crnmcnts 10 which the world was look
| ing 10 enforce Justice and give pledge
OF An enduring settlement. regions iik,
the Saar basin could not be put unde
temporary administrative regime
which did not involve transfer o
political sovereignty and which con
tcmpiated a final determination OF f.
political connections by popular vot
TO be taken al n distant date: no fire.
city like Danzig could ne create,
which was under elaborate inter
/ national guarantees. to accept cxcep
I ttonal obligations with regard TO tn
/ use of it's port and exceptional rela
! tions with state of which ii was no
form a mart. nropar1y - n