SiebenbuÌˆrgisch-Amerikanisches Volksblatt. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1917-1971, 1945-05-17

1rccOme the faSh1On TO argue tnat
these peace treaties were "soft"
lpeace. AS "a matter of recorded
fact, they )were nothing of the
!sort. They were revengeful, puni-
tive, dictated by hatred and there
by bred hatred.
| These treaties created a des-
lperate and disordered Europe,
utterly bereft of hope; they gave
lrise and sustenace to Fascism,
! lNaziism andBolshevism as move
merts of social revolt.
! \ tragedy of this kind is in
evitable as consequence of re-
venge. 1t is a warning which we
might we'll heed.
| VII
| The First World War shatter-
ed the political setups of Europe
the Second World War has shat
tered the political setups of the
Iglobe itself, the patterns of EN-
lpires, the balances of power and
the Intellectual League of Nations
| Some new order may result.
What it may become will depend
in large measure on certain deci-
sions that will be promulgated by
the victorius powers. 1t may be
another loose structure to be
shaken down by another World
War. 1t may be another pattern
Of great opposing alliances. each
vaitrly seeking assured predomi-
nance. 1t may be a series of con-
tinental or large areal confeder-
ations.
| Alliances. considerations and
balances OF power have held the
stage in various forms. If we set
kup anything not built on Reason,
Equality, Justice. God-fearing
Iprinciples and Truth. we shall be
as far away from Peace as we
have ever been. Such a system
dressed up with new titles will
still contain the fatal defects OF
iall that went before.
| VIII
i 1t seems certain that Society
as it now exists has failed, and
that it no longer is capable OF
functioning within it's present po-
litical and social boundaries. Ma.
tional economics, commerce, bur
siness. labor and the machinery
of peace. must be concerned di.
rectly with what is going on in
Il the world NOW, and with the
fundamental adjustment of aging
political and social forms of So.
ciety to its new economic and in
idustrial needs.
The pattern of the political
economic and moral needs of all
peoples must be adapted to the
environment into which they
!were born, because we believe
every nation has the right tc
lgovern its own political, econo.
mic. cultural and religious prob.
lens
We have travelled a long wa,
since April ?. 1917. when Presi
: dent Wilson, in asking for de-
= claration OF war on the German
i. Reich, said in his address to Con
q. gress: I'VE have no quarrel Will
the German people. We have n,
feeling towards them but one O
: sympathy and friendship"
II We also seem to have travele,
la long way since January, l941
n when President Roosevelt, at Ca
sablanca. in conference with Mi
., Churchill, said that "Unconditic
" nal surrender did not mean tn
il destruction OF the populace c
II ! Germany"
l, We believe that President Wi
{ son was right in making his dt
!: claration. and that Presider
Roosevelt was right in this wa
D. in making clear the tiistinctio
It between Governments and Pee
f. ples.
A universal denunciation of
race as an argument for their COZ
de,nnation and destruction dot
not hold, for ii runs counter I
the sociological and spiritu;
truth, Immortality voiced bv tt
great Edmund Burke, that yo
cannot draw, an indictmer
against an entire people.
X
The plans for a supposedly pc
feet Peace, such asWinston Chu
chilrs World Organization
The United States Information;
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