Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-06-19

forth plan and accomplish. ring true
to this response till the majesty and
might of our concerted power shall fill
the thought and utterly defeat the
force of these who flout and misprize
what we honor and hold dear. Ger
many has once more said that force
and force alone shall decide whether
justice and peace shall reign in the
affairs of men. whether right, as Am
erica conceives 1t, or dominion, as she
conceives it shall determine the des-
TIMES of mankind There is, there
fore, but one response possible from
u.s. Force, force to the utmost force
without stint or limit, the righteous
and triumphant force which shall
make right the law of the world and
cast every selfish dominion down in
the dust
NJ. Clemenceau. in the letter also
quotes from speeches delivered by
Premier Lloyd George of Great Brit
ain, himself as premier of France and
Premier Orlando of Italy, in which
It was specifically declared that when
victory was won, compromise as to
peace terms was impossible and just
punishment should be meted out, and
continues:
MUST BE JUSTICE FOR ALL
Justice, therefore, is the only possible
basis for the settlement of the accounts
of this terrible war. Justice is what the
German delegation asks for and says that
Germany has been promised. But it must
be justice for all. There must be justice
for the dead and wounded and for those
who have been made orphans and
bereaved that Europe might be free from
Prussian despotsm. There must be JUS
tice for the peoples who now stagger
lIar LIZ, III
billion, that liberty might be saved There
must be justice for those millions whose
homes and lands, ships and property
German savagery has spoliated and
destroyed.
| That is why the allied and associated
powers have insisted as a cardinal fea-
ture of the treaty that Germany must
undertake to make reparauon to the
very uttermost of her power, for repara-
ton for wrongs inflicted is of the
essence of justice.
That is why they insist that those in
dividuals who are most clearly responsible
for German aggression and for those acts
of barbarism and inhumanity which have
disgraced the German conduct of the war
must be handed over to Justice, which
has not been meted out to them at
home.
GERMANS MUST BEAR THE YOKE
THAT. too is why Germany must
submit for few years to certain spe-
cial disabilities and arrangements. Ger
many has ruined the industries. the
} mines and the machinery Of neighbor-
ing countries, not during battle, but
with the deliberate and calculated pur-
pose of enabling her own industries to
seize their markets before their industries
hn ION, hue
} wantony inflicted upon them.
Germany has despoied her neghbors
of everything she could make use Of or
carry away Germany has destroyed the
shipping of all nations on the high seas,
where there was no chance of rescue for
their passengers and crews.
RESTITUTION is JUSTICE
at is only justice that restitution should
be made and that these wronged people
, should be safeguarded for time from
the competition Of a nation whose indus
tries are intact and have been fortified by
machinery stolen from occupied terrific
ries. If these things are hardships for
Germany. they are hardships which Ger
many has brought upon herself. Some
body must suffer for the consequences of
the war. Is it to be Germany or the peo-
pies she has wronged?
Not to do justice to all concerned would
only leave the world open to fresh calami-
ties. If the German people themselves.
or any other nation, are 20 be deferred
from following the footsteps of Prussia;
If mankind is to be lifted out of the belief
that war for selfish ends is legitimate to
any state; if the old era is to be left be-
hind and nations, as well as individuals
| are to be brought beneath the reign of
law, even If there is to be early reconclia-
ton and appeasement, IT will be because
those responsible for concluding the war
have had the courage TO see that justice
is not DETECTED for the sake of a conven-
, lent peace
REVOLUTION WAS TOO LATE
, 1T is said that the German revolution
ought to make a difference and that the
German people are not responsible for
, the policy Of the rulers whom they have
thrown from power. The allied and
associated powers recognize and well
? come the change. 1t represents a great
, hope for peace and a new European order
, in the future.
. But it cannot affect the settlement Of
the war itself. The German revolution
, was stayed until the German armies had
, been defeated in the field and all hope
of profiting by war of conquest had
VanlSneu, throughout the war, as be-
fore the war. the German people and
; their representatives supported the war.
: voted the credits, subscribed to the war
=. loans, obeyed every order however
savage, of their government. They
, shared the responsibility for the policy
, of the government. for at any moment,
had they willed it, they could have re-
versed it. Had that policy succeeded,
they would have acclaimed 1t with the
: same enthusiasm with which they well
coined the outbreak of the war. They
/; cannot now pretend having changed their
rulers after the war waS lost that it Is
justice that they should escape the con-
' sequences of their deeds.
1 The allied and associated powers
4 therefore believe that the peace they
e have proposed is fundamentally a
peace of right on the terms agreed
There can be no doubt as to the in
e tentions of the allied and associated
I powers to base the settlement of
t Europe on the principle of freeing
e oppressed peoples and redrawing ma
n tional boundaries as far as possible.
n in accordance with the will of the
,, peoples concerned. while giving to
Y each the facilities to live an indepen-
:. dent national and economic life.
WILSON SAID 1T.
$ These intentions were made clear
G not only In President Wilson's address
@ to Congress Of January 8. 1913. but