Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-04
CHAPTER XIX.
Germany Sues for Peace.

| On October 6, 1918. Germany sued
for peace. After three weeks Of cor
respondence. made public day by day,
President Wilson informed Germany
that the allies were ready to conclude
peace on the basis of the terms set
ont above. Such was the clear straight
road which led from the formulation
of Europe's war aims in 1915 and 1917
and their endorsement by the United
States in 1918 to the armistice in the
beginning of November. 1918, and to
peace. Never had policy been clear
er. more open, and more coherent.
Everybody. before even the nekotia-.
tons began. knew the objective sought.
The peace. with all its principles and
all its consequences, appeared clearly
before the eyes of the nations, long
ere it was drawn up and signed by
the negotiators.
- RsMart Of vjctery.
In other words. the peace was born
Of the origin and character of the war
itself. 1t was willed by the peoples
before being formulated by the govern
ments. 1t was formulated by the gov
ernments as early as the end of 1915
in harmony with the instinct of the
peoples and when. at the beginning
of 1918. the United States in turn de-
clared its conception of the peace it
only emphasized principles which
could have varied, for they were of
the very nature of things and dictated
by circumstances Such being its
source. the peace could not be peace
of conquest and of imperialism. If it
was not a peace of conquest. it is not
because of the fourteen points. nor
because Mr. Wilson forced his will
upon Europe, nor because the allied
governments bowed before America
through weakness or lack of foresight.
1t is because Mr. Wilson in his four
teen points. his speeches. like the al
hes declarations of 1916 and 1917,
lament of the same year. had merely
obeyed the dictates of history, had
merely registered the will of the war
ring people. 1t is because the peace
of victory. offspring of the war. had
necessarily to confirm and not to re-
pudiate the ideals for which the war
was fought.
The peace derives its whole charac-
ter from this unanimity of purpose.
And if in all Of its chapters-whether
they deal with frontiers or with new
states. whether they deal with repa
rations or the internal affairs Of ma
tions-this character reappears. one
may regret, and disapprove. if one is Of
turn of mind. but nobody has the right
to be astonished. For all through the
war. all the allies without exception.
chedient to the peoples will. had con-
stantly proclaimed that. when victory
was won. the peace would be made cx-
actly as it was made.
Conference Meets.
The conference meets. The men
and the materials are gathered. The
work awaits. What method shall be
followed In the early part Of Janu-
ary. the French delegation had pro-
,osed general plan of procedure which
N. Clemenceau had asked me to pre-
pare.
Under this plan IS groups were
'ormed including in addition to the
,lenipotentiaries and the heads of gov
departments. men represent
ng every type of human activity, law
'ers. financiers. historians. manufac-
.urers. business men. administrators,
professors. journalists. soldiers aud
sailors who brought wide personal
experience to every problem along with
he results Of the preliminary studies
II which nearly all of them, had par
lclpAteu iueSe commissions. diDclt
as occasion demanded from
lay to day. responded none the less
o the requirements of efficient organi-
.ation. 4 very large amount of work.
N committee meetings and in reports.
vas furnis- ~ them. On every
question serupulonsly fair hearing
vas given to ali interested parties as
,ften as they desired. More than fif-
cen hundred committee meetings were
reid. often supplemented by local in
'estigations. 1t is the conscientious
,ffort OF these men that Mr.. Keynes
las sought to ridiculc in his book on
he conference. ''The poisonous morass
t Paris to cite but one Of the least
iolent of his epithets, has naught to
ear from his invective.
Honestly Prepared.
Rarely was a political undertaking
nore honestly and more scrupulously
repared. | may add that despite tho
eat OF certain debates all those WHO
pok part in it have retained one for
mother great mutual esteem. the
steem sof men Of good faith and good
ill who in "a great adventure, %
r.. HOUSE used to say. had dedicated
- H1Ne~Ss~.a - ODWn