The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-12-21
WILSON'S PEACE
PLEA RECEIVED
IN SILENCE

view. The president can only beg that
his suggestion be considered entirely on
its merits and as ii it had been made IN
other circumstances"
The Identical Statement.
Then, all the notes proceed identlcally
as follows
"The president suggests that an early
occasion be sought to call out from all
! the nations now at war such an avowal
of their respective views as to the terms
upon which the war might be concluded
and the arrangements which would be
| deemed satisfactory as guaranty
against its renewal or the kindling OF
| any similar conflict in the future as
would make it possible frankly to com
pare them. He is Indifferent as to the
means taken to accomplish this. He
would be happy himself to serve, or even
to take the initiative in its accomplish
lnent, in any way that might prove ac-
ceptable, but he has no desire to deter
mine the method or the instrumentality.
One way will be as acceptable to him as
another, if only the great object he has
in mind be attained.
Each Fights for Same Object.
'He takes the liberty of calling atten-
] tion to the fact that the objects which
1.-the statesmen of the belligerents on both
sides have in mind in this war are vir-
tually the same, as stated in general
terms to their own people and TO the
world. Each side desires to make the
rights and privileges Of weak peoples and
small states as secure against aggression
or denial in the future as the rights and
privileges of the great and powerful
states now at war. 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 aggression of selfish inter
ference of any kind. Each would be
| Jealous of the formation of any more
rival leagues to preserve an uncertain
balance OF power amidst multiplying
suspicious; but each is ready to consider
the formation of league of nations to
insure peace and Justice throughout the
world. Before that final step can be tax
en-, however, each deems it necessary
first to settle the issues of the present
war upon terms which will certainly
safeguard the independence, the terri
torial integrity and the political and
commercial freedom of the nations in
volved.
''In the measures to be taken to secure
the future peace of the world, the people
and government of the United States are
as vitally and as directly interested as
, the governments now at war. Their in
terests, moreover, in the means to be
adopted to relieve the smaller and weak
er peoples of the world of the peril OF
wrong and violence is as quick and ar
dent as that of any other people or gov
ernment They stand ready, and even
eager, to cooperate in the accomplish
ment of these ends, when the war is over,
with every influence and resource at their
command. But the war must first be
concluded. The terms upon which it is
to be concluded they are not at liberty
to suggest; but the president does feel
that it is his right and his duty to point
out their intimate interest in its con-
clusion, lest it should presently be too
late to accomplish the greater things
which lie beyond its conclusion, lest the
situation of neutral nations. now exceed
ingly hard to endure, be rendered alto
gether intolerable, and lest, more than
all. an injury be done civilization itself
which can never be atoned for or re-
paired.
"The president, therefore, feels alto
gether justified in suggesting an imme-
diate opportunity for a comparison OF
views as to the terms which must pre-
cede those ultimate arrangements for the
peace of the world, which all desire and
in which the neutral nations as well ar
those at war are ready to play their full
responsible part. II the contest must
continue to proceed towards underlined
ends by slow attrition, until the one
group of belligerents or the other is ex-
hausted. if million after million of hu-
man lives must continue to be offered up
until on the one side or the other there
are no more to offer, if resentments must
be kindled that can never cool and de-
spairs engendered from which there can
be no recovery, hopes of peace and OF the
willing concert of free peoples 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
DuTuen anu teIIoI VI tHlS hhPiSOShNheNN
contest of arms. No nation in the civil
lied world can be said in truth to stand
outside its influence or to be safe against
its disturbing effects. And yet the con-
crete objects for which it is being waged
have never been definitely stated.
"The leaders of the several belligerents
have, as has been said, stated those OBJ
iects in general terms. But, stated in
general terms, they seem the same on
both sides. Never yet have the authori-
tative spokesmen of either side avowed
the precise objects which would, if at
tanned. satisfy them and their people
that the war had been fought out. The
world has been left to conjecture what
definitive results, what actual exchange
of guarantees, what political or territor-
ial changes or readjustments, what stage
of military success even, would bring the
war to an end.
at may be that peace is nearer than
we know; that the terms which the bel
ligerents 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 interchange of
views would clear the way at least Tor
conference and make the permanent con-
cord Of the nations hope of TIE imme-
date future. concert of nations imme-
diately practicable.
"The president is not proposing peace;
he is NOT even offering mediation. He fs