The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-12-28

08O8 - 4 U@o " 49, w.
DsoSas anA - - world.
"DAlA 49, Desires To make ~
tGAts aAA privileges of weak Dseoaes
aAA snail states - secure against a.
srsssion OF daaial in the future - tAs
rights and privileges Of the great aAA
powerful states now at var. Each |
wishes itself to be made secure in the |
future, along with all other nations
and peoples. against the recurrence OF
wars like this and against aggressioa
Of selfish Interference OF any kind.
Each would b. jealous OF the
formation of any more rival leagues
to preserve an uncertain balance Of
power amidst multiplying suspicious;
but each IL ready to consider the
insure peace and Justice throughout
the world.
Before that final step can be taken.
however. each deems It necessary
first TO settle the issues of the pres
ent war upon terms which will Ger
tainly safeguard the independence. the
territorial integrity and the political
and commercial freedom Of the nAr
tions involved
In the measures to be taken to -
cure the future peace Of the world
the people and government Of the
United States are a. vitality and -
directly interested ~ the goverAments
now at war Their interest. moreover.
In the means to be adopted to relieve
the smaller an6 weaker peoples Of ths
world Of the peril of wrong and vto
lence is - quick and ardent - that
Of any other people or government
They stand ready. and even eager. to
cooperats in the accomplishment ot
these ends, when the war is over. With
every influence and resource ut their
command But the war must first -
concluded.
The terms upon which it Is to b
concluded they are not at liberty -
suggest; but the President docs feel
that It 10 his right and his duty to
point out their intimate interests In
its conclusion, lest 1t should presently
b. too late TO accomplish the greater
things which lie beyond Its conclusion.
lest the situation of neutral nations.
now exceedingly hard to endure. be
rendered altogether intolerable. and
lest, moro than all. an injury be do1s
civilization itself which can never b
stoned for or repaired.
The President therefore feels alto
gethsr justified In suggesting an i'm
mediate opportunity for . comparison
Of views as to the terms which must
precede those ultimate Arrangements
for the peace of the world. which I'll
desire and in which the neutral ma
tions - we'll ~ those at war are
ready to play their full, responsible
part.
'"If the contest must continue to
proceed toward underlined ends By
slow attrition until the one group OF
belligerents or the other is exhausted.
II million after million Of human lives
must continue to be offered up until
ON the one side or the other there are
NO more to offer. II resentments must
| be kindled that can never cool and
dsspairs enGendered from which there
can be NO recovery, hopes OF peace
| and of the willing concert Of free peo-
| pies will be rendered vain and idle.
THE life Of the entire world has
been profoundly affected. Every part
Of the great family Of mankind has
felt the burden and terror Of this un-
precedentsd contest OF arms. No na-
ton in the civilized world can be said
in truth to stand out to its influence
or to be safe against its disturbing
effects. And yet the concrete objects
for which 1t is being waged have
never been definitely stated.
1.-THE leaders of the several belliger.
ents have, as has been said, stated
those objects in general terms. But,
stated in general terms, they seem
the same on both sides. Never yet
have the authoritative spokesmen OF
either side avowed the precise objects
which would. II attained, satisfy them
and their people that the war had
been fought out The world has been
left to conjecture what definitive re-
suits, what actual exchange o. guar
antics, what political or territorial
changes or readjustments, what stage
| OF military success, even, would bring
the war to an end.
1T may be that peace is nearer than
We know; that the terms which the
belligerents on the one side and on
the other would deem It necessary to
insist upon are not SO irreconcilable
as some have feared: that an inter
change Of views would clear the way
at least for conference and make the
permanent concord of the nations a
hope Of the immediate future, a con-
cert of nations Immediately prac-
ticable.
THE President 10 not proposing
peace; he is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing that
soundings be taken in order that we
may learn. the neutral nations with
the belligerent, how near the haven
Of peace may be for which all man
kind longs with an intense and in
creasing longing.
He believes that the spirit in
which he speaks and the objects
which he seeks will be understood by
| all concerned. and he confidently
hopes for q response which will bring
| a new liRbt into the affairs of the