The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-07-22
WILSON PROPOSES TERMS TOENDWAR
President Ready Sign Peace Agreement With
World Nations Are Eagerly Awaiting Chance
to Conflict and Danish War Forever


expression to what l 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 a 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 it affects.
With its causes and its objects we
are not concerned. The obscure foun-
tains from which It's 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 ii should be
brought to an end and the world be
permitted to resume its normal life
and course again.
And when IL 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 uncerta inty shall be lifted. bring
some assurance that peace and war
shall always hereafter be reckonel
nf the infaraSf n
kind
I'VE are participants. whether we
would or not. in the life OF the world.
The interests of all nations are our
own also. We are partners With the
rest. What affects mankind I, inevi-
tably our affair as well as the affair
of the nations OF Europe and of Asia.
Secret Counsels 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. 1t 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 a
contest.
1t is probable that II It had been
foreseen lust what would hanDen. inst
what alliances would be formed. just
what forces arrayed against one an
other. those who brought the great
contest would have heen glad to sub
sttute conference for force,
'If we ourselves had baen afforded
some opportunity To epprise tho bel
ligeren's of the attitude Of which 1t
would be our duty to take. OF the pol-
icies End practices against which we
would feel bound to use all our moral
prd eccno-'ic strength. and in GER
tain c'-cur' stances even our physical
strength also. our own contribution to
the counsel which might have aver'ed
the STRUGGLE would have heen cone'd-
cred worth weighing and 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 poignantly clear,
is, that the peace Of the world must
henceforth depend upon new and
more wholesome diplomacy.
"Only when the great nations of
the WOTlu nave TeuCneu sOIit solt VI
agreeu ent as to what they hold to be
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 rust. in the tu-
ture, be governed by the same high
code of honor that we demand of in
dividuals.
I'VE must. indeed, in the verv same
breath with which we avow this con
viction admit that we have ourselves
uron occa sion in the past been offend
ers against the law OF diplomacy
which we thus forecast; but our con-
vction is Evt the less clear. but
the more clear. on that ac-
count.
Foresces Great Change.
"But | did not come here to repeat
a program. cane only to avow
creed and give expression to the con
that | feel that the world Is
now upon the eve of great consrm-
mFrion, when some common force
will be brought into existence which
will safeguard right as the first and
most fundamental interest of all peo-
ple and all governments, when ccer-
cion shall be summoned not to the
service of political ambition or self
ish hostility. but to the service of
common order, a common justice, and
a common Deace