The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-17
AMERICA MUST NOW SPEAK UP TO EUROPE
 IS HARDEN OPINION
(Continued from Page one,
lesjans this question, unhappiiy over looked in the plebiscite:
 Percentage Hasis

lesjans this question, unhappiiy over looked in the plebiscite:
 Percentage Basis
 " Do you want partition on a ger centagc basis, or independenceT
 "But do not allow further time for demagogues and agitators. De- clare now that plebiscite seven years hence will definitely decide the country's lot. No solution Is pos sible in eastern Europe until we see what becomes of Russia, and now strong Poland will be as state. Ef- forts to decide now will only result resources from the steel industries, and exchanging favors in the north foi concessions in the south. Provi- sional, neutralized and supervised in- dependence for Silesia is the only reasonable immediate solution of the problem.
 Now, gentlemen, you are very dis gruntled over the outcome of the Leipsic trials, whether rightly or wrongly, I do not know. I do know three things:
 q. In your world. governed by nntionalisn, no court exists which in such an affair could free itself from patriotic preconcep- llon anu tItdt mortal eremy exactly like the compatriot who in defense Of his country, lost limbs and health.
 "2. War Is but organized stupidity and the mental state engendered amidst heaps of corpses, shrieks of pain and frightful perils cannot be judged years afterward in accord ance with legal formulas.
 "3 Those who executed military commands cannot be held responsi- ble and punished for them.
 England Acts
 "Er gland recognized this when she ceased imprisoning as pirates the of- ficers of sumarines and placed them in internment camps. The Germans shot the English Captain Fryatt be- cause they considered the mount ing of suns on merchantme en violation of international law. We Americans called this assassina .ion, and rightly so, for Captain Fryatt obeyed admiralty orders
 You still have the right to demand extradition and try the criminals in your courts, but the result wouli be increased hatred and redoubled jim goism everywhere. Is that your ob- jeet? Far-sighted reason points to another. All modern mass wars are horrors, and must be unmasked in all their hideousness for the people to behold. Not only German atrocities, we want wars perversities and crimes in all nations exposed in court with full international publicity Thus. we will serve humanity and derrive the Germans of any cause for complaint. because they alone are being tried for war crimes And if we obtain this publicity, even for the Leipsic cases, it Is immaterial what judgments the German court has pro- ncunced. We of the new world hold that severe punishments gener- ally are notifications as preven- tives of crime.
 Against Sanctions
 That is why we also are against the sanctions decreed at London. The more German territory you occupy, the more nationalistic rage you en- gender. Much better to say to Ger many, in severe joint note. that she cannot acquire an equal opportunity in the world unless She destroys the last vestige of her militaristic mon archy and her thirst for revenge.
 ITO me, it seems high time these little problems were settled Presi- dent Harding has summoned the na- tions to disarmament conference. which will assure in the Pacific the quiet necessary to human evolution and will bring a pacific regime to the whole world. not only in words and literature, but in fact. We can't waste more time with Europes quar- rels. Europe herself ought not to postpone the settlements until she becomes mere instrument of con- querors on land and sea."
 Is this voice of American wisdom which I hear only dream2