Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-06
When the War 10 Won.


WI.,G'- address TO Congress on Tues
aa, winch he himself proceeded to
answer IN detail. the substance Of
which can be conveyed in the few
Wurd- When Germany has rulers the
world can trust"
congress arose IN "A body TO express
~ approval Of this sentiment-with
one exec ption. Senator LaFollette-and
todaH the people Of the United States
na> settle down TO an acceptance Of
fl~ tuati"r which they have demand
r4 tteir elected government and rep
resentatives are agreed almost unani-
mousiy tkat the end shall not come un-
American people in declaration Of
status 81 war between this country and
Germany, shall have been felt by all
tho Central Empires and allies and ac-
,,ptcd hy them as the world doctrine
10 peace. justice, and good will toward
mon.
-ress be made IT plain to other nations
~ the world that America does not
wieh in any way to impair or rearrange
the German empire, the Austro- Hun
lar.an empire or any other empire, for
h" said: 1T is no affair Of ours what
they do with their own life, either in
dustrially or politically. We do not
purpose or desire 70 dictate to them in
any way. We only desire TO see their
affairs are left in their own hands, In
all matters, great or small. We shall
hope 10 secure for the peoples of the
balkan peninsula and for the people Of
the Turkish empire the right and OPP
rortunity TO make their own lives, safe
their own fortunes secure against op-
preston or injustice, and from the
dictation OF foreign courts OF parties
and our attitude and purposes with re-
gard to Germany herself are Of like
kind. We intend no wrong against the
German empire, no interference with
her internal affairs. We should deem
either the one or the other absolutely
unjustihable. absolutely contrary to the
principle We have professed to live by
and TO hold most sacred throughout our
life as a nation"
IL these noble sentiments could reach
and be understood by the peoples of
the Central Empires. they must have
strong effect upon the suffering mil
lions OF intelligent, educated and sane
subjects OF the Kaiser and King
charles. We believe they will reach
and will have immediate and lasting
effect upon the minds of rulers, as well
as people, Of Turkey and Bulgaria. To
them II is a ray of hope in well nigh
hopeless situation. These millions
have been deceived into thinking that
they were fighting for very life and
existence, a desperate war Of self-de-
Tense, and as a result of serious and
continued defeats by the English and
French allies now joined by great and
powerful America, they had begun to
fear actual humiliation, their govern
nents destroyed, their people swept
away before the forces of war, famine
and disease. their countries devastated.
To them. then. the assurance of the
American President that the end of
the war will come when the Prussian
war masters are rclegatcd and the af-
fairs Of al the countries OF Central
Europe are left in the hands of the
people themselves; and that then
America, with all her wealth and
genius. and without any claim for terri
tory or indemnity. will attempt to put
these peoples upon their feet as has
been done in the case of Cuba, Porto
Rico. the Philippines. Hawaii, and the
central and South American repub-
lies. In fact, the following of Brazil,
with her 25,000,000 people and a coun-
try in area almost as large as all
Europe, and other South American
countries. OF the United States in its
war aims and declarations. assures
these European countries that America
has no selfish motive in forcing the war
to a conclusion that will put an end to
the dictation OF the war masters
There is also hope for the peoples OF
Central Europe in the American Presi-
dents declaration that the deep wrongs
inflicted by Prussianism must be right
cd before America will admit that the
war is won, and in his solemn as
surance that these wrongs are not to
he righted by the commission of SINH
lar wrongs against Germany and her
allies. The President speaks of this
midday hour of the worlds life" and
he might have added that it is the de-
termination OF his government and Of
the entire American people that the
afternoon Of the worlds life shall be
spent in peace and justice. in solemn
and communicating contemplation Of