The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-19
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

If the world war brought problems new and old, peace brings up diIIi- cult and untried issues and those who sit around at the conference in Yer sailles are charged with grave respon- abilities.
 I hear much superficial talk and read equally as great an output of unbakad articles about what must be done or left undone, as if it was possible Tor
 my one man to be able to meet the complex situation with Solomon-like judgment.
 have been over a great part or the battle line having lived in France' Germany and Austria. and during Va cations travelled in nearly every one Of the countries involved in the war, ana for more than a quarteW Of century have tried to keep up with the Euro pean situation through the papers. maEazines and books-and yet with my intensive study I can barely touch the fringe of the stupendous task of arriving at basis for durable peace in which the conflicting rights of the nations involved can be safeguarded
 am perfectly aware, however, that along with others I cannot refrain from talking and writing in way as though I really was in a position to fairly approach the momentous ques- tions with a prepared and judicial mind Just to sober my thinking a bit I have reread much of the litera- ture of how the war began, and par ticularly the state papers, and I have been amazed at the difficulties pre- sented by pre-war conditions. aud how earnestly most of those in places of power strove for a peaceful solu- ton.
 | was amazed at the patience and I persistence of the men holding the portfolios as foreign ministers among l the great powers and at the amount of detailed information which they place in the hands of ambassadors ac- <, credited to the different courts, and on | the other hand how painstaking the ambassadors were to carry out in-
 structions and to report back to their chiefs. No one can wade through the interminable white blue and yellow papers without being aware that al least determined effort was made ! by most of the powers involved t'
 walk in the paths of peace.
 l It is not my purpose to try anl place the blame for the breakdown 1T I the pece pourparlers. I am convinced in my own mind, but if I give express
 sion to my belief I wish to have more space in which to set down the req sons for my conclusions. The thing am trying to get before my readers this time is the tremendous amount o work which was done in the various chanceneries to prevent the trouble between Austria and Servia iron starting a European conflagration. l If the ministers with foreign port
 folios were watchful and ever read!
 to go to any pains to quiet the sus picion of the other powers and 10 not'
 in leash the war parties in their o"'
 country. the effort of the sovereign
 for a long time looked as if they shar ed the general desire for peace.
 have been greatly interested in the let I-ters passing between the Czar and tn
 Kaiser and between King Albert aE king George. and in fact the entir : Iroyal correspondence in it's intimat land friendly tone was a surprise The lwrote to one another like human De ifngs and not as automatons
 The assassination of the heir pre-
 sumptive to the Austro- Hungaria throne. the Archduke Francis Ferdi mana, and his consort. the Duchess 2
 Hohenberg. at the Bosnian capital (