Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-02
TREATY OF VERSAILLES
DEFENDED BY SIMONDS
Greatest Virtue of Instrument Is the Degree
to Which It Has Recognized the
Rights of People.
BY FRANK H. sIMONDs.

Rights @
BY FRANK H. SIMONDS.
N the six months which have fol-
lowed the signing of the treaty
of Versailles and the publication
of the terms political disputes in
America and political events in
Europe have so served to turn atten-
ton and discussion from the docu-
ment itself that 1t is perhaps worth
while to return afresh to the basis
of settlement, which is more often
discussed now in detail than viewed
with any historical perspective as a
whole
Thus in the United States the en-
tire discussion has centered about the
league of nations. a circumstance of
the peace settlement which. for the
great nations of Europe. for France,
Britain and Italy, was relatively
minor. while in Great Britain the at
tack has been made upon provisions
affecting Britain's allies. which, to
say the least, are not more open to
criticism than other sections extreme
ly profitable to the British them
selves
We may say, with fair accuracy,
that the treaty was a disappointment
to all the nations who fought to-
gether against Germany, but for very
diverse reasons For the French, it
seems small return for their great
losses and sacrifices; for the British.
something far short of the settle
ment which would enable them to re-
turn to a measure of their old isola-
ton. having disposed of the main
question at issue. namely, the Ger
ace. For the Italians the treaty is
an even greater disappointment, be-
cause. with the subordinate settle
ments with Austria and in the near
east, it fails to recognize Italian as
pirations or honor Italian claims.
Recognizes Peoples Rights.
With the American debate over the
league Of nations, 1 shall not deal in
forth is the extent to which the treaty
may be regarded, with all it's limita-
tions. as the best world settlement yet
known. superior to the agreements Of
Westphalia, of Utrecht and of Vienna:
and to emphasize something of the
a document which at the present mo-
ment is the target of worldwide exc
Grafton.
To begin at the beginning. it seems
to me that the great virtue of the
treaty of Versailles is the degree to
which 1t has recognized the rights of
peoples to dispose of their own allie
glance. Roughly speaking. there were
in central Europe, at the moment
when the world war broke, forty odd
millions of people living in a condi-
ton of political and Intellectual slav-
cry. Among these were 100000 900 of
Jugoslavs, 100000 of Rumanians,
10000 Alsace-Lorrainers. and 1.000,-
600 Italians in the Trentino and
Trieste districts.
Without exception, these 10000, 900,
population much greater than that
war. longed for liberation, had striven
vainly against military and bereau-
cratic tyranny, in the case of the
Poles had fought against their OPP
pressors, and never, in a century and
a half. given up the hope of future
del1verance. The last century, which
saw the liberation of Italy, the unfit
cation OF Germany, the partial deliv-
erance of the Balkans, had given a
vital impulse to the race conscious
ness of the tribes and peoples stfll
held in political slavery -.
L l.
! table consequence of this stirring of
subject races. The success of the Raj
kan states in their war against Tur-
Key had carried with it a fatal men
ace to the Hapsburg empire. within
whose frontiers 25,000,000 of enslaved
Slavs lived.
Sole Hope for, Survival.
The sole hope for survival for the
Hapsburg empire was successful at
tack upon the Serbs, which might
postpone If 1t did not abolish. the
day when Austrian and Hungarian
Slavs would seek liberty and seek IL
with strength beyond the power of
German and Magyar in the dual mon
archy to- constrain
Looking back over two generations
OF European history from the Grim
can to the world war, it is manifest
that the condition which existed as a
consequence OF the enslavement of
various races was an unstable one.
The Italian people demonstrated this
In their noble struggle for liberty and
union. The little Balkan states proved
1t again in a series of wars, which
only narrowly missed setting all Eu-
rope on fire. The concert of Europe
the great powers. selfishly anxious to
preserve their own peace and pros
perity, whatever it cost the subject
races, were never able to compel the
subject races to submit consentingly
to their condition of servitude.4
One may assume it to be automatic
that peace in Europe. in the world,
was not possible SO long as it was
predicated upon injustice upon the
sacrifice of the right of millions of
men and women to liberty, the use of
their own tongues and the observance
Of their own customs. The proof Of all
this is to be found. alike in the long
series of alarms which preceded the
coming Of the world war and in the
circumstances of its arrival.
Set 10000, 900 Free.
Now the treaty of Versailles of St.
ments have liberated these forty odd
millions. There is Polish state by
virtue of the treaty, which includes
most, if not all of the Poles. there
is a Czechoslovak state. which in
cludes most of the CZechs and the
Slovaks; the Slovenians. the Croats
and the Hapsburg Serbs have been set
free and have joined hands with their
Serb brethren beyond the Danube and
the Save; Alsace-Lorraine is French.
Roughly speaking. We have set free
some forty millions of men and wom-
en-, we have created new nations and
we have aided in the extension of the
frontiers of old states to include their
brothers, lately held in servitude.
To me this is the great human fact
about the peace settlement, the en-
during fact But it is at once argued
that this liberation has not resulted
in peace and does not promise imme-
date peace. Possibly this may be
true, but peace founded upon slavery
was at once unjust and imperma-
nent. Again, 1t is argued that while
Justice has been done, injustice also
has been similarly done; that we have
enslaved as well as liberated; that we
have abolished old slavery to create