The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1916-06-13
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
(Chicago Herald)

President Wilson's address be-
fore the League to Enforce Peace
may not be Immediately influen-
tial in Fastening peace in Europe.
It's statement Ofthe lines on which !
he. would move if privileged to |
mediate makes suggestions which |
both belligerents may resent. |
Herald's Washington correspond |
ent notes a prompt tendency |
among allied diplomats to regard !
Mr.. Wilson as "meddling," and as
having become "a spokesman of
the German propaganda to
throw upon the allies all the
blame for continuing the war.
Moreover, 1.-THE freedom of the
seas" he would have a universal
association of nations to maintain
seems to look toward the Ger
man, or land powers, definition
rather than toward that of the
sea powers.
However, the allies are prob
ably more fearful Of this German
campaign to influence neutral
opinion than they need be. Its
motives are quite apparent. Ger
many's military power is not tan
gibly broken. Her present win
nings are large. She holds Bel
gium, Serbia and Montenegro, a
large part Of Poland and a part
of France. She has more trad
ing stock" than she may have
later. AS the man in the street
puts it: "She wants to quit while
the quitting is good" And tho
Germany may resent the implica-
ton of the proposal for a uni
cersal association of nations TO
prevent war begun contrary to
treaty stipulations or without
warning" she would probably
swallow her resentment of a for
NAL censure for her violation of
Belgium if able to keep certain
solid advantages of the act.
Yet, though the allies conf
dence that time is in their favor
and that they have Germany vir-
tually stopped" and growing
weaker may prevent any favor
able reception just now of the
Presidents suggestions, it seems
entirely plain that the general
principles which he laid down as
those on which any lasting peace
must be based are the principles
on which the ultimate settlement
must be made, unless civiliza-
ton is to go back about 1000
years to the might makes right
conception of international con-
duct. These are:
4. The right Of every people
to choose the sovereignty under
which they shall live.
2. The small states have the
same right to respect for their
sovereignty and territorial integ-
rity as great nations.
3. That the world has a right
to be free from disturbance of its
peace originating in aggression
on the rights of peoples and ma
tiOns.
To the principles, which the
President rightly says Americans
regard as fundamental, " various
nations have given so far lip ser
vice rather than heart service.
Their complete application would
considerably modify the map of
Europe. It would restore Belgium
and Poland to their native races
and bring to an end such mere
ly dynastic unions as the Haps-
burg Empire, unless its several
elements should freely agree to
continue it.
To preserve the peace which
would result from a readjust-
ment along natural lines Of race
and speech there would have tC
be some such league Of nations as
the President tacitly approved by
speaking where he did. For small
nations as we'll as great may
cherish schemes of conquest.
The way to lasting peace lies
in complete recognition of tina
equality in international rela-
ton of the small people with Tho
large, of the weak nation with tn
strong, which all civilized M.
tions endeavor to secure between
ricn and poor under their law
and before their courts.
That is the international jus
tice for which Woodrow Wilson
pleads and the American peopl
with him, and which in some wa,
must be established if humanti
is to be preserved from the re