Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-04
A New Experiment.

| HE fact that Great Britain has backed up
the stand of President Wilson at the
Pars peace conference concerning the man
ner OF disDosing OF the former German colo
mes insures fair test for this new expert
fncnt In colonial government 1t was a big
thing for the British government to do in
lace, apparently. Of the protests of some of
its own colonial spokesman, and il emnha
Sizes once more the fact that Great Britain
ana the United States have taken n com
mon ground in behalf OF the broad-mindcd
Poiic! TOT the peace conference! The govern
mcnt OF neither country, thus far has for
gotten the fact that the supreme ob,iea-
lon before the enlightened powers OF the
"oiio - 70 establish the peace Of the world
on the rock foundations of Justice and of
right.
Under the plan agreed upon Il is nronosed
not to turn over these former German col
ONES 10 any one OF the powers as the spoiJs
VI 'ictoTy In the kind of international
poiltics which President Wilson is standing
lor at Paris, the fact is not lost sight n
mat colonies are aggregations OF human
'e'nss ana not mere storehouses OF material
resources to be cOnGscated In the old ti,,o
methods OF diplomacy, for which. STRANGE IN
say, critics OF the President in this country
seem to have strong liking little consid
J Grafton would have been given to the sue
gcstion that these colonies should NOT hc
oeiiVered over to the unrestricted expIoita
ton OF their conquerors
What is now proposed is to make these
colonies in effect the wards OF the learuo Of
! nations, which shall appoint one of it's Nom
| bers best suited to the task to administer
tho anairs OF each OF them, with a
| view to the interests Of the colonies tbo,,
I selves. and ultimately with the idea of per
hitting them to earn the right to self-goycrn-
! ment. To that there Is anythjpp eecar
| tally impractical BILE about this suggestion is
| TO deny the success OF the American cx-
| pertinent in Cuba. Generous? Yes and
unheard Of but no more than the way
! the United States handled Cuba. There was
| no league of nations then, and the United
| States was not bcholden to any group of
| powers TO administer the affairs Of Cuba
| 10 the enc that It might earn its indepen-
, dence, but the fundamental principle is tho
| same Like every principle that is honest,
| 1t is principle that pays 1t paid in the
case Of Cuba. Will any one say that Cubo Is
! present friendship is less profitable to us than
| III would have been had we treated il as
mere spoiIs of our victory over Spain?
| The American viewpoint as to the general
| plan OF cfecting durable peace treaty as
| rejected by the delegation headed by Pres
| idcnt Wilson at the peace conference is con
stantly subjected TO vicious criticism by Re-
publican leaders in Congress The success
| OF tho American delegation in Undressing ac
| ceptance OF its plan OF settlement OF the
| larger issues involved upon the other dele
| cations seems only to inspire moro occasion
| TOT lnsepsate criticism on the part OF these
| rrenzied partsans Yet, in none Of the basic
| IDEAS urged by the American delegation for
acceptance as necessary starting point in
the working out of the details Of full set