The Washington herald., 1920-11-29
by GUGLlELMO FERRERO,
The Famous italian Historian. This
IL the First Article I'm n Series
on The Drama of Peace"
.srnrra Ann u,trur sEAS

Inc TIBt hIthCiC ScHhSs
on THE Drama of Peace"
AMERICA AND THE SEAS.
ROME, Nov 2S-western civiliza-
ton finds itself today face to face
with an extraordinary paradox.
Monarchs have been deposed and
rule no longer. Everywhere their
authority has passed on to parlia-
ments, which are now elected by
universal suffrage. 1t follows, there
fore, that universal suffrage is the
real sovereign of our modern world.
A debonnaire sovereign. indeed,
which allows its free representatives
to do many things in its name which
1t would never have dreamed OF.
but whose will mo government can
resist or oppose which 1t really sets
its mind on something! Today no
government, either in Europe or
America, can long stand in the way
of the majority. when that majority
has firmly decided on its course. In
this case it is true that modern ma
tions are the arbiters of the State
and of their own destinies.
To reinstate peace in Europe
should therefore have proved an
easy task. The immense majority
of the human race today hunger
and thirst for peace. How is it
then that governments fail to bring
about that peace for which every
body longs? Why do we see dis
cord, suspicion, hatred, rancours,
and with them the probability of
future wars. cropping up like pol
sonous weeds in every part of Eu-
rope?
The "Drama of Peace
We cannot answer this question
unless we first try to understand the
drama of peace" which was enacted
in Paris, between December of 1918
and June of 1919. 1t is less snowy
and clamorous than the drama of
the war, because 1t takes place al
most in secret. Few have under
stood it, perhaps not even those
who appeared to be the leading ac-
tors, and only now the curtain be-
gins to lift for those who watch
events carefully. But IL the drama
of peace is less clamorous, 1t is
perhaps even more terrible than the
drama of war. An immense catas-
trophe, the effects of which will in
all likelihood be felt for generations
to come, took place in the course of
few weeks, unbeknown to all,
"hehooS Sooy bciuS any thS
wiser, in the secret conventicles of
a handful of men. who disposed at
will of the destinies of the world,
in the sincere belief that they were
reconstructing the world on a solid
base.
The beginning Of the catastrophe
was SO simple that nobody perceived
What was going on. Who still re-
members how the whole thing hap
pened? Toward the end of 1918
Clemenceau pronounced great
speech at the French Chamber, in
which he explained the views and
intentions of the French govern
ment in regard to peace. In this
speech Clemenceau gave 1t clearly
to be understood that he did not
believe in the league of nations
proposed by President Wilson; that
he remained faithful to the old
school Of alliances and of political
equilibrium, and that he therefore
looked forward to an alliance be,
tween Italy. France and England
and the United States, that would
impose peace upon the world.
He added that Lloyd George thad
asked him whether. in his opinion.
the war would have been won with
out the English fleet; that his reply
had been in the negative; and that
In consequence, he and the English
prime minister had agreed to oppose
any proposals at the congress that
might diminish or limit the power
of that feet. France and England
were united in being against the
liberty of the seas demanded by
America; or, rather. to prevent a
new statute Of less barbarcus ana
more equal character than that
which rules the seas at the present
day from being discussed at the
congress.
No one paid any attention to this
news, ct the time, in Europe. I be-
lieve that I was the only one who
displaysd esrtain uneasinsss IN