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Show Press Comments on the Peace j Imposed on the Hun Nation (Chicago Tribune Special Service) , N, EW YORK. May $. Editorial comment com-ment on the peace terms follows: ST. LOUIS , GLOBE-DEMO-. CRAT Severe as the terms are, few can say they are not essentially essential-ly just, in view of the colossal calamity which Germany brought upon the world-And world-And it should be observed 1 that they strike primarily at the military power, thu military system, ami the older fruit of that avslem, which -Genua cy has taught the world to hate: Willi the total eradication of that system and the development de-velopment oi a government upon a foundation foun-dation of humanity there will he nothing to prevent t lie res to i-i tion of Germany to a high place in the affairs of the world. ST. LOUIS STAR A reassertion of militarism in Germany or in Russia, following fol-lowing a social upheaval in France or in Great Britain would threaten tiie future fu-ture peace to a degree which can scarcely scarce-ly be appreciated. This hazard must be experienced in the administration of some of the delicate provisions of the treatv. BOSTON GLOBE The strength of a peace treaty is not discovered in a day. Its virtue is measured by its length of life. For it embraces Che league of nations na-tions covenant and it provides for the creation of ninny International commissions. commis-sions. Commissions and arbitration have often proved the best solution in municipal, muni-cipal, state, national and international affairs. There is the hope of this treaty. PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC LEDGER There is no brutal and purely punitive spoliation. Germany is not dismembered. It la really amazing how little territory she will lose at the hands of her completely com-pletely victorious enemies when we recall re-call how wantonly sho challenged them, how savagely she devastated their towns and countrysides, how atrociously she maltreated people, n nd what enormous sacrifices in men and money she imposed im-posed upon t'hem. A Historic Occasion. PHILADELPHIA PRESS ' The historical his-torical occasion yesterday will bo forever for-ever marked as one of the most dramatic I coincidences of history, when Germany appeared as a suppliant, suing for mercy 'on the fourth a'nniversary of the destruc-1 destruc-1 tion of the Lusitania. No Bismarck rules j at Versailles, ruthlessly imposing his im-j im-j perialistie will. Tho empire which he : created with "blood and iron" has crumbled like that of Belshazzar. PHILADELPHIA NORTH AMERICAN Impressive as the terms are. they represent rep-resent onlv ' the minimum provisions of a just settlement. It was Belgium, even more than France, thy t stood on the frontiers of freedom iu 1914. Challenged suddenly by an overwhelming power, forced to choose between surrender with safety and resistance that meant a living liv-ing mai'tvrdoni, she did not for one instant in-stant hesitate: she met with her flesh1 and blood and her dauntless soul tho onrush of the Hun and sank, overcome hut uncomiuered, into four years of slavery. slav-ery. , Treaty a Good One. PHILADELPHIA RECORD No nation could have all it felt it ought to have without with-out defeating the claims of other nations which rested on substantial grounds. It-is It-is a good treaty, for it gives every assurance as-surance that is possible of a permanent peace. NEW YORK TIMES As far as human ken may search the future, Germany will be impotent to make war on the smallest nation contiguous to her terri-torv. terri-torv. she has been stricken from tho list of land and sea powers, and is powerless to resist the sentence passed upon her-There her-There is nothing ahead of Germany but hard work, self-denial and rigid economy. It may be regarded as punishment for her misdeeds, but her submission should prove a blessing in disguise. Not Wholly Lost. NEW YORK TRIBUNE With all these cessions of1- territory, plebiscite sections included. Germany loses only about 7,000.000 inhabitants one-tenth of her populations-most of them strongly ant i -German in blood and sen timen t. And -her losses, both in area and in population, popu-lation, would be more tha n covered i f the peace conference should leave the door for a union between Germany and what is loft of A u stria. CHICAGO TRIBUNE It was our interest in-terest tha t there should be no separate peace, and wo ore morally bound to support sup-port that which has been agreed upon. As to t he provisions for the establishment establish-ment of a league of nations, they are properly subject of careful consideration by the sena te, find if In the opinion of that body they are susceptible of interpretation inter-pretation contrary to our essential interest in-terest or security they will be adopted only with appropriate reservation. |