The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1917-10-04
PRESIDENT WILSON
GETTING THE FACTS.
COL. {. NJ. HOUSE AND JUSTICE
LOUIS BRANDEIS CONSTITUTE
Ills PEACE INFORMATION
BUREAU.

The establishment of peace
information bureau by the Pres
ident does not mean anything
like an immediate opening Oh
peace negotiations. 1t does not
mean that the United States will
blunt in any way the lnstru-
ments OF war which it holds, or
that it will lessen in any way
the vigor of the preparations
which it is making for an cncr-
getic prosecution of the war.
But it means something al
most as important 1t means
that the President is taking
comprehensive measures to in
form himself as 10 the facts that
underlie the great conflict lie
is collecting data as to frontiers,
nationalities, industrial needs
and racial ambitions in the ter
ritorics Immediately affected by
the war. He is taking the ut
most pains to place at the dis
posal of the American delegates
to the peace conference the Wild
est possible information as to
the forces that have moved and
are moving the nations of war
torn Europe.
The peace studies which Col.
L. NJ. House (and Justice Louis
Brandcis-Ed) has been appoint
ed to make are a guarantee OF
President Wilson's intention to
pursue an independent American
policy a the conference. They
are a guarantee Of his purpose
to look at the isslics that viii
come before the conference, not
through English eyes, not
through French eyes, not
through Italian or Russian eyes,
but through American eyes.
This does not imply any lack
of confidence in the correctness
and justice OF the British or
the French or the Italian view
OF issues and events. 1t is plain
ly intimated by the State de-
partment that, in its survey oil
the European situation, Amer
lean diplomacy does not con
template amy interference with
purely European issues. The
President is determined, how
ever, that the foundations for
the structure OF world peace
must be sound and enduring
And he is determined that
American policy at the confer
ence shall be guided by purely
American reasoning, by purely
American purpose.
The President is determined
that when the issue OF Alsace-
Lorraine is placed upon the
green table, the American plcni-
potcntiary shall have at his com
mand all the facts about AlSaCc
and Lorraine-thc desires OF
their people, their racial char
acter, their political and econ
omic interests.
He is determined that when
the Balkan question is made
the subject of decision. the
American plenipotcntiary shall
have at his command complete
data of the racial character OF
the people of Macedonia. their
kinship with surroun ling races
and their aspirations.
He is determined that in every
one of the other complicated
problems that undcrlie the pres
cnt struggle the representatives
OF the United States shall be
able to act with their eyes wide
open to the facts.
In beginning a study OF the
framework of European life III
its racial. economic and political
aspects. the President is making
preparations TO carry out the
policy winch he cnunciated in
his reply to the popt's peace
note
The American people......
believe that peace should rest
upon the rights OF peoples.
not the rights OF govern
ments--the rights OF peoples
great or small, weak or pow
crful-thcir equal right to
freedom and security and self
government; and to participa-
ton on fair terms in the econ
omic opportunities of the
world
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