The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-06-03
WILSON PROPOSES TERMS TOENDWAR
President Ready Sign Peace Agreement With
World Believes Nations Eagerly Awaiting Chance
to End Conflict and Danish War Forever.

expression to what | believe to be the
thought and purpose OF the people of
the United States in this vital matter.
This great war that broke SO sud-
denly upon the world two years ago
and which has swept within its flame
so great part OF the civilized world
has affected us very profoundly and
we are not only at liberty, it is per-
haps our duty to speak very frankly
of it and of the great interests of
civilization which 1t affects.
with its causes and its objects we
are not concerned. The obscure foun-
tains from which its stupendous flood
had burst forth we are not interested
to search for or explore. But SO great
flood, spread far and wide to every
quarter of the globe, has of necessity
engulfed many a fair province OF
right that lies very near to us.
Our Own Rights Affected.
Our own rights as nation, the
liberties, the privileges and the prop
erty of our people have been pro-
foundly affected. We are not mere
| disconnected lookers-on. The longer
the war lasts, the more deeply do we
become concerned that it should be
brought to an end and the world be
permitted to resume its normal life
ana course again.
And when it does come to an end,
we shall be as much concerned as the
nations at war to see peace assume
an aspect of permanence, give prom
Use of days from which the anxiety
of uncertainty shall be lifted. bring
some assurance that peace and war
| shall always hereafter be reckoned
part of the common interest of man.
kind.
.'We are participants, whether we
would or not, in the life of the world.
The interests of all nations are our
own aleo. We are partners With the
rest. What affects mankind IA inevi-
tably our affair as well as the affair
of the nations of Europe and OF Asia.
Secret counseis Planned.
"One observation on the causes OF
the present war we are at liberty to
make, and to make 1t NAV throw some
light forward upon the future as well
as backward upon the past II is
plain that this war could have come
only as 1t did. suddenly and out of
secret counsels. without warning to
the world. without discussion. with
out any of the deliberate movements
of counsel with which 1t would seem
natural to approach so stupendous
contest.
II Is probable that II It had been
foreseen lust what would hanpen. inst
what alliances would be formed. just
what forces arrayed against one an
other those who brought the great
| contest would have been glad to sub
stitute conference for force.
"If we ourselves had bnen afforded
some onrortun'tv to sDDrise the het-
liperer's of the attitude Of which 1t
would be our duty to take. OF the rol-
icies pnd practices against which we
would feel bound to use all onr moral
prd econor'ic strength. and IN cer-
! tpin c'-cuwstances even our physical
strength also. our own contribution TO
the corrsel which might have a"er'ed
the STRUGGLE would have heen cc-~'d-
cred worth weighing End regarding.
New Code for Nations.
"And the lesson which the shock OF
being taken by surprise in matter
SO deeply vital to all the nations of
the world has made poignantlv clear.
is, that the peace OF the world must
henceforth depend upon new and
more wholesome diplomacy.
"Only when the great nations OF
the world have reached some sort Of
agreer~ ent as to what they hold to be
fundamental to their common inter
est and as to some feasible method OF
acting in concert when any nation or
group of nations seeks to disturb
those fundamental things, can we
feel that civiliza tion is at last in
way of justifying its existence and
claiming to be finally established. 1t
is clear that nations r"uet- in the fu-
ture, be governed by the same high
code of honor that we demand of in
div'duals
1--WE must, indeed, in the verv same
breath with which we avow this con-
viction admit that we have ourselves
uron occa sion IN the rast be"7 'FFH'd
ers against the law Of diplomacy
which we thus forecast; but crr con-
viction is Evt the less clear, bit
rather. the more clear. on that ac-
count.
Foresees Great Change.
"But / did not come here to repeat
program. care orlv to avow a
creed and give expression to the con
fidence that | feel that the world is
now upon the eve of a greet consun-
me- tion, when some common force
will be brought into existence which
will safeguard right as the first and
most fundamental interest OF all reo-
pie and all governr' ents, when ccer-
cion shall be summoned not to the
service OF political ambition or self
ish hostility. but to the service of
common order. common justice. and
common peace.
God grant that the dawn of that
dav of frank dealing ard of settled
peace. concord and cooperation may
be near ut hand"
President Wilson was introduced bV
forr-er President William II. Taft.
who is head of the League to Enforce
Peace, and many of the nations most
nota BILE men heard him speak. Vice
President Marshall, several cabinet
members and many members of Con-