Show U U. U S. S PIans for Europe's Europe 1 s Future H TIE HE government at Washington is interesting ting g L itself already In the problem of the peace w which ich must ultimately follow the present conflict con con- filet between Germany Britain and France According to an an Associated Press article art a special advisory committee established by Secretary Secretary Secretary Sec Sec- of State Hull in January is studying the problems of Europe and how they may be solved in th the peace and reconstruction that will follow the war Peace terms national policies limitation of armaments and economic and fi financIal financial II- II matters are included In subjects being studied This American interest in the subject of peace In Europe is based on the belief that this nation has reason to be concern concerned d because whatever happens in Europe during and and after the war will greatly affect this country's welfare There is a great deal to be said for that view Certainly America is affected by what what g goes es on in Europe Certainly a Europe at peace stabilized and prosperous prosperous- would be beneficial t to America in many w ways ys Certainly we are justified as one of the worlds world's great powers t the e only great power today not involved in war or directly aligned with one side or the other other- in taking some interest in the problem of how howa a Europe peaceful stabilized and prosperous can be achieved Still there is an ominous sound sound to these reports reports re rc re- re ports of of intensive activity by the American government go in Europe's war and peace probe lems It sounds an awful lot like what happened happened hap hap- last time In the last war both prior to the thc outbreak of hostilities and for two years after the United the States concerned itself as a government very directly with Europe's war and peace problems Colonel E. E M. M House President Wilsons Wilson's personal personal personal per per- emissary made three trips to Europe inthe In Inthe inthe the interests of peace Colonel House got nowhere no no- where where unless unless it c can can n be said that his activity finally helped to get this country mixed up inthe in the whole mess In this war the American government has taken a very active interest in Europe's war and peace problems for a couple of years Recently Re Recently Re Re- Sumner Welles President Roos Roosevelt's velt's personal emissary went to Europe Europ on a h peace mission From all reports he got nowhere either unless either unless it will be said at som some future future- date that his activity helped to get us mixed up p in this mess too I In addition to our concern with peace prior to our entrance in Jn the World war the American government took a very active part in peace negotiations afterward On January 8 1918 HIlS President Wilson enumerated his famous 14 points as a basis for peace Peace talk between the allies ames and Germany went on for some time V I without getting anywhere until anywhere until on March 21 Germany launched a terrific drive on the western western western west west- ern front that almost Won von the war for Ger Ger- many After the German drive was launched President Wilson informed the world that Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many had made use of his peace proposals to gain time while it prepared Its great offensive offensive of of- which almost brought a peace of allied collapse instead of a peace by agreement The following fall peace was finally con con- eluded Much of that peace was Americas America's Idea of how Europe's problems ought to be solved solved- some of Wilsons Wilson's 14 points the League of Nations Na Na- Nations creation of new nations on a basis of ot I racial unity and historic precedent The worl wort has seen how that peace has failed It solved nothing It didn't bring real peace stability or prosperity to Europe America America America Amer Amer- ica after interesting herself greatly in Europe's Europe's Eu Eu- ropes rope's war and peace problems and dictating much of the final peace settlement withdrew after the peace and largely isolated herself from Europe's affairs up until the last few years No one can say whether if America had never herself in European peace last time the peace which might have ended that conflict would have worked out any better But it is hard to see how any other peace could have worked out any worse That last peace In which America had so much of a hand and was wasa a complete failure It neither gave Germany the basis for a stable prosperous existence in ina a Europe kept at peace by mutual satisfaction nor crushed her sufficiently to insure a peace peace- guaranteed by German impotence Having tried once before to be the master mastermind mastermind mind of Europe with Europe with the only result burned fingers lingers for ourselves and another Armageddon for Europe maybe Europe maybe America ought to let the people of Europe try to work out their own I salvation this time I |