Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-15
WILSON TO AWAIT
PREMIER'S SPEECH
CONTINUED From First Page ]

COpy VI the tSAl W.
tanned from a diplomatic source,
shows that, while accurate in sub
stance, the previously published ver-
sion had many fthe documents SEN
tences out of their proper order.
The translation follows:
1.-THE most terrible war which his
tory has known has been ravaging
a large part of the world for two
years and a half. This calamity,
which the bonds of thousands of years
of a common civilization have not
been able to prevent, is injuring hu-
manity in its most precious heritage.
1t threatens to plunge into its ruins
the moral and material progress which
was the pride of Europe at the dawn
of the twentieth century.
See Further ConquestS
I'm this struggle Germany and her
allies-Austria-H Hungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey-have given proof of their
unconquerable strength by achieving
important successes over adversaries
superior in numbers and in war ma
terial. Their unshaken lines resist
the continuous attacks of the armies
of their adversaries. The last diver
sion in the Balkans has been speedily
and victoriously thwarted. Recent
events have demonstrated that the
prolongation of the war would not be
able to break their power of resist
ance. On the other hand, the general
situation justifies them in hoping for
Iurther successes.
1T was to defend their existence
and the freedom of their national de-
velopment that the four allied powers
were forced to take up arms, The
achievem ents of their armies have not
altered this purpose. Not for a single
instant have they departed from the
conviction that respect for the right
of other nations is in no way incom-
patible with legitimate interests. They
do not seek to shatter or annihilate
their adversaries.
Will Fight to End
Conscious of their military and
economic power and ready if necessary
to continue to the very end the strug-
gle which has been forced upon them,
but inspired at the same time with
the desire to stop the flow of blood and
to put an end to the horrors of war,
the four allied powers propose to
enter forthwith into negotiations for
peace. They are convinced that the
proposals which they will submit and
which aim to insure the existence, the
honor and the development of their
peoples will be appropriate to serve
as a basis for the re-establishment of
a permanent peace.
IF, despite this offer of peace and
reconciliation, the struggle should go
on. the four allied powers are deter
mined to continue it to the end, dis
claiming solemnly before humanity
and history responsibility therefor"
President Wilson Is known to attack
great importance to the possibility of
establishing an association of nations
to maintain peace. He outlined in
definite terms the procedure he would
take in initiating a peace movement,
in the course of a speech delivered
here last May before the League to
Enforce Peace. At that time the
President said
Has Outlined Lines
hTf If SnnnlI ha mi,
to suggest or initiate the movement for
peace among the nations now at war,
am sure that the people of the
United States would wish their gov
ernment to move along these lines:
First. Such settlement with re-
gard to their own immediate interests
as the belligerents may agree upon.
We have nothing material of any kind
to ask for ourselves, and are quite
aware that we are in no sense or de-
gree parties to the present quarrel.
Our interest is only in peace and its
future guarantees.
Second. A universal association
OF the nations to maintain the inviolate
security of the highways of the seas
Tor the common and unhindered use
of all the nations of the world and to
prevent any war begun either con-
trary to treaty covenants or without
warning and full submission of the |
causes to the opinion of the world
virtual guarantee of territorial inte-
gritty and political independence"
Formal Notes
In the same speech the President |
said the American people believed
fundamentally that every people have
q right to choose the sovereignty under |
which they shall live, and that the
small states of the world have a right |
to enjoy the same respect for their
territorial integrity that great and |
powerful nations expect and insist
upon.
Secretary Lansing early to-day held !
his first personal conference with |
President Wilson since the peace pro- |
posals of the Central Powers were
made public. 1t was said the formal |
notes from Germany and Austria |
might go forward night and necessar-
lily in view Of the probability that the |
President would take no Independent
action until after Lloyd George has
spoken in the House of Commons,
they probably will be accompanied
only by formal notes of transmittal
After his conference with Presi- |
dent Wilson, Secretary Lansing said |
the position of the American govern
ment had not been finally determined
and the note from Turkey had not
been received.
There were indications that while |
the President was still waiting for an
expression of the attitude of the en- |
tente allies before taking any formal
step, he had made up his mind suffi- |
ciently on his general policy to dis
cuss it with the cabinet.
FILLING OUT NEW CABINET
Paris, Dec, 15.-Albert Metin, gen.
eral budget reporter of the Chamber
of Deputies and formerly minister of |
labor, has been appointed under-sec- |
retary of finance. NJ. Metin and the |
other under secretaries will not attend |
cabinet meetings.
The government will appoint short |
ly a number of technical assistants |
drawn from the ranks of acknowl- |
edged experts. They will direct spe-
cial departments of the various min
istries.
SWISS TO STAY NEUTRAL
Paris, Dec. 15.-Edmund Schulthess |
the new president of Switzerland, af- |
firms the intention of his country to
maintain strict neutrality. in an in
terview with the Berne correspondent |