Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-07-10

tions to be for the execution of pres
ent plans of peace and reparation,
they saw it in a new aspect before thel,
work was finished They saw 1t as the
main object of the peace, as the only
thing that could complete it or make it
worth while. They saw it as the hope
of the world and that hope they did
not dare to disappoint. Shall we or may
other free people hesitate to accept this
great dutyl Dare we reject it and
break the heart of the worldl
Treaty Best Possible.
And so the result of the conference
of peace, so far as Germany is con
cerned, stands complete. The diffieul.
ties encountered were very many. 1t
was impossible to accommodate the in,
terests of so great body Of nations
interests which directly or indirectly
affected almost every nation in the
world-without many minor eompro-
misses. The treaty, as result, Is not
exactly what we would have written.
1t is probably not what any one of the
national delegations would have writ
ten. But results were worked out which
in whole bear test. 1 think that il will
be found that the compromises which
were accepted as inevitable nowhere cut
to the heart of any principle.
The work of the conference squares,
as a whole, with the principles agreed
upon as the basis of the peace as well
as with the practical possibilities Of
the international situations, which had
to be faced and dealt with as facts.
shall presently have occasion to lay
before you a special treaty with
France, the object of which is the tenn
porary protection of France from un-
proved aggression by the power with
whom this treaty of peace has been ne
gotiated. Its terms link it with the
treaty. | take the liberty, however, of
reserving it for special explcation on
another occasion.
American Role Set.
The role which America was to play
in the conference seemed determined as
/ have said, before my colleagues and
got to Paris-determined by the uni
versal expectations of the nations whose
representatives, drawn from all quar-
ters of'the globe, we were to deal with.
1t was universally recognized that
America had entered the war to promote
no private or peculiar interest of her
own but only as the champion of rights
which she was glad to share with free
men and lovers of justice everywhere.
We had formulated the principles upon
which the settlement was to be made
the principles upon which the srmistiee
had been agreed to and the parleys Of
peace undertsken-and no one doubted
that our desire was to see the treaty Of
peace formulated along the actual lines
Of those prineiples-and desired moth.
ing else. We were welcomed as disin-
tercsted friends. We were resorted to
as arbiters in many a difficult matter
1t was recognized that our material aid
would be indispensable in the days to
come when industry and credit would
have to be brought back to their normal
operation again and communities beat
en- to the ground assisted TO their feet
once more, and il was taken for grant.
I'd. am proud TO say, that we would
play the helpful friend in these things
Is in all others without prejudice or
favor. We were generously accepted as
The unaffected champions Of what was
right. It was very responsible role to
play; but am happy to report that the
fine group of Americans who helped
with their expert adviee in each part Of
The varied settlements sought in every
to justify the distinguished !
confidence reposed in them.
Friendship Realized.
And that confidence, il seems 10 me.
IS the measure Of onr opportunity and
II our duty in the DAYS TO come, in
which the new hopes Of the peoples Of
the worle is 10 be fulfilled OF disap-
pointed. The fact that America Is the |
friend Of the nations. whether thev be |
rivals OF associates, Is no new fact; i'll
IS only the discovery Of It BY the rest
# the waFld that is new.
America may be said to have justI