Middletown transcript., 1916-12-30

final step can be taken, however, each
deems it. necessary first to settle the
issues of the present war upon terms
which will certainly safeguard the IN
dependence, the territorial integrity
and the political and commercial free
dom Of the nations involved.
In the measures to be taken to Sc
cure the future peace Of the world the
people and Government Of the United
States are as vitality and as directly
interested as the governments now at
war. Their interest, moreover, in the
means to be adopted to relieve the
smaller and weaker peoples Of the
world of the peril Of wrong and vio-
lence is as quick and ardent as that
Of any other people or government
They stand ready, and even eager, to
cooperate in the accomplishment 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
L
that it is his right and his duty to
point out their intimate interest In its
conclusion, lest 1t should presently be
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, more than all, an injury be done
civilization itself which can never be
atoned for or repaired.
The President therefore feels alto
gether 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 all
desire and in which the neutral nations
as well as those at war are ready to
play their full responsible part. If
the contest must continue to proceed
toward underlined ends by slow attri-
tiOn until the one group Of belligerents
or the other is exhausted, If million
after million of human lives must con.
tinue 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 despairs en-
gendered from which there can be no
recovery, hopes Of peace and Of the
willing concert of free peoples will be
rendered vain and idle.
T{fa % 4Aa tiY.o xr-n1.Id boc ham
profoundly affected. Every part of the
great family CT mankind has felt the
burden and terror Of this unprece
dented contest Of arms. No nation in
the civilized world can be said in truth
to stand outside its influence or to be
safe against It's disturbing effects. And
yet the concrete objects for which 1t
is being waged have never been def.
initely stated.
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 tbs
same on both sides. Never yet have
the authoritative spOkesmen Of either
side avowed the precise objects which
would, if attained, 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 territorial changes or
what stage Of military
success even, would bring the war to
an end.
It 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 interchange
of views would clear the way at least
for conference and make the perman-
ent concord Of the nations hope OF
the immediate future, a concert Of ma
tions Immediately practicable.
The President is not proposing |
peace; he is not even offering media |
ton. He is merely proposing that |
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 mankind
longs with an intense and increasing |
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 response which will bring new
light into the affairs of the world.
LANSING.