The Washington herald., 1919-07-11
1ORLD LOOKS TO AMERICA, SAYS WILSON,

hitherto In utter darkness were to
be led out INTO the same light and
given at last a helping hand. I'm
developed peoples and peoples
ready for recognition but not yet
ready TO assume the full respon-
sibilities of statehood were to be
given adequate guarantees Of
friendly protection, guidance and
assistance.
Opportunities Sprang.
And out OF the execution Of
these great enterprises Of liberty
sprang opportunities to ATTEMPT
what statemen had never found
the way before to do: an oppor-
tunity to throw safeguards about
the rights Of racial, national and
religious minorities by solemn
International covenant: an oppor-
tunlty 10 limit and regulate mill
itary establishments where thew
were most likely to be mischiev-
GUS an opportunity to effect a
complete and systematic interna-
tionailzation of waterways and
railways which were necessary
10 the free economic life of more
than one. nation and to clear
many OF the normal channels Of
commerce of unfair distractions
OF INV or of privilege; and the
very welcome opportunity to Sc
cure for labor the concerted pro-
lection of definite international
pledges OF principle and practice.
These. were, not tasks which
the conference looked about IL TO
md and went out of its way to
perform. They were inseparabIe
from the settlements OF neace
They were thrust upon IL by cir
cumstances which could not he
overlooked. The war had Great
ed them.
World. Relations Broken.
In all quarters of the world old
established relationships had been
disturbed or broken and affairs
were at loose ends, needing To he
mended or united again. but could
not be made what they were he
iore. They had to be set right NV
applying some uniform principle Of
Justlce or enlightened expediency
ana they could not be adjusted NV
merely prescribing in a treaty
what should be done. New states
were to be set up which could NOT
nope to live through their first
period of weakness without as
sured support by the great nations
that had consented to their crea-
ton and won for them the indie
pendence. Ill governed colonies
could not be put in the hands n,
governments which were to act as
trustees for their people and not as
their masters il there was to be
no common authority among the
nations to which they were to be
responsible In, the execution of
their trust. Future international
conventions with regard to the
control OF waterways. with regard
TO Illicit traffic of many kinds IN
arms or in deadly drugs, Or with
regard to the adjustment of MANY
varying international administra-
i've arrangements could not be
assured II the treaty were to pro-
VIDE no permanent common inter
national agency, il its execution IN
such matters was TO be left to the
SLOW and uncertain processes OF
cooperation by ordinary methods
of negotiation.
As to Saar BASIN.
III the peace conference itself
was to be the end of co-opere-
tive authority and common
counsel among the governments
to which the world was looking
pledges of Pn enduring settle
ment, regions like the Saar ba-
SIN could not be put under a
temporary administrative re-
sime which did not involve a
transfer of political sovereign
~ and which contemplated a
mai determination of its politi-
cal connections by popular vote
10 be taken at a distant date:
no free city like DanziE could
be created which was, under
elaborate international guarar
tees, to accept international
obligations with regard to the
use of its port and exceptional
relations with a state of which
it was not to form a part:
properly safeguarded plebiscites
could not be provided for
where populations were at
some future date to make choice
what sovereignty they would
live under: no certain and uni
form method of arbitration
could be secured for the settle
ment of anticipated difficulties
of final decision with regard to
many matters dealt with in the
treaty itself; the long-continued
supervision of the task of repa-
ration which Germany was to
undertake to complete within
the next generation might en-
tirely break down; the recon-
sideration and revision of ad-
ministrative arrangements and
restrictions which the treaty
prescribed but which it was
recognized might not prove of
lasting advantage or entirely
fair if too long enforced would
be impracticable.
Promises to Labor.
The promises governments were
making to one another about the
way in which labor was to be
dealt with, by law not only but
in fact as well. would remain a
mere humane thesis if there was
to be no common tribunal of opin-
ion and Judgment to which liberal
statesmen could resort for the in
fiuence which alone might secure
their redemption. A league of free
nations had become a practical
necessity. Examine the treaty of
peace and you will find that every
where throughout its manifold
provisions its trainers have felt
obliged to turn to the league Of