New-York tribune., 1919-04-22

statesmen at Paris who have tried and
failed and who have never shown ca
pacity for admitting mistakes. The can
dor, the self examinations, the ruthless
cutting away of fond hopes, the resolu-
tion for new action--all this the people
must supply. They supplied it once be-
fore When pacifism failed and war be-
came imperative. They must supply it
again, now that internationalism has
failed and nations must return to their
natural tasks.
The radicals are now writing scorn-
fully Of the Fourteen Points and the
treachcrous breach of them at Paris.
But we think the truth is already plain
to most Americans. The Fourteen Points
were a well-mcant attempt to accom-
plish the impossible. They sought to
solve a most complex set of practical
human problems, with set of brief abb
stractions. When the actual clash of
phrase with situation came at Paris the
phrase necessarily splntered. The CEN
trail phrase was "self-determination." 1t
was simple, it sounded we'll, it appealed
to the democratic instincts of the age.
But We now see that it was fitted to
solve not a single one Of the real terri
torial problems that confronted the
peace conference. 1t said nothing to
the problem of hopeless mixture of
peoples. 1t said nothing to the great
question Of nationalism. The conferrees
at Paris found themselves expected to
solve a complex algebraic equation with
the assertion that two and two make
four.
The Tribune has attempted in the last
few days to expound what it conceivcs
to be the primary guarantees of peace.
Briefly, those guarantees consist in the
erection and development of sturdy ma
tionalsm. Obviously, alien populations
are dangerous element, subversve Of
nationality They should be reduced to
the lowest limits The broad principle
of self-detcrmination must be conceded.
But it must never be permitted to
weaken and threaten the growth or safe
ty of nation. The factor of geography
cannot be ignored. Our Monroe Doc
trine as applied at Magdalena Bay is an
utter denial of the principle of self-de-
termination and a frank recognition of
the needs of nationalism. We must con-
cede the same protection to the nations
of Europe, those in existence and those
to be born of the peace Poland must
have her Danzig, for example, not
through any absurd compromise under
the name of Decentralization"
which merely will perpetuate a griev-
ance and supply fuel for fresh war
without in the least creating the Poland
that civilization needs and must have.
These territorial settlements are one
half of the immediate peace problem at
Paris. The other half is money repara-
ton. The absurd notion that Germany
must be excused and apologized for
and let off with fine she can comfort
ably afford to pay seems to have been
overwhelmed by the rising tide of opin-
ion of the French and English peoples
Statesmen have heard the roar of break
ers and yielded The punishment of
Germany must be long and severe
Treachery, barbarity, covetousness must
be so sentenced that the warning for
Germany and for the world Will be un-
mistakabe
We thus come to the crucial problem
remaining after the immediate settle
ments are completed. Who shall main
tain peace after it has been made? Who
viii exact the punishment civilization
must, for reasons of self preservation,
enforce? Already, in secret Paris is
stumbling toward the truth. There has
been no frank concession that the league
has failed that stronger arms must in
tervene. There will be no such frank
concession if we may judge by the
Lloyd George speech of optimism in the
House of Commons. But the facts must
be met. The facts are, if rumor is true
being met.
AS pointed out in these columns, the
reparation provision frankly gives the
Called and associated governments
power to collect from Germany in such
fashion as they may see fit. Why does
not the league collect? Because it ha:
not the power to collect a bill from the
Sultan Of Morocco. Here is a nucleu,
of what must be, here is frank indi
cation that Paris is, belatedly, silently
backing toward the light.
The other sign is the persistent ru
NOR of "guarantees' for France b,
England and America. Why guarantees
Why is anything else needed than th
fiat Of the league of nations? Possibl,
we shall be told that France was timor
GUS and needed this extra protection a
a sop. But we think the truth is al