The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-23
AMERICAS POLICY POINTS
TO ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

TO ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
1T is inconceiva BILE that tho people
OF the United States should play no
part in that great enterprise. To take
part in such a service viii be the OPP
portunity for which they have sought
10 prepare themselves by the very
principles and purposes of their polity
and the approved practices of their
government ever since the days when
they set up n new nation in the high
and honorable hope that 1t miRhs, In
all that 1t was and did. show mankind
the way TO liberty. They cannot in
honor withhold the service TO which
they are now about to be challenged.
They do not wish to withhold il. But
they owe IL to themselves and TO the
other nations of the world to state the
conditions under which. they feet free
to render II
"Thzt serv.Go is nothing less than
this: To add their authority ana their
power to the authority and force of
other nations to guarantee peace and
justice throughout the world, Such
settlement cannot now be long post
poned. 1t is right that before 1t comes
this government should frankly
formulate the conditions upon which
if would feel justified in asking our
people TO approve its formal and SOL
emn adherence to a league for peace.
| am here to attempt to state those
conditions.
The present war must first be
ended, but we owe Il to candor and
to a Just regard for the opinion Of
mankind to say that, SO far as our
In guarantees of future
peace Is concerned. It makes gr"at
deal Of difference in what way and
upon what terms II Is ended. Tho
treaties and agreements which bring
il to an end must embody terms which
Will create a peace that Is worth guar
anteeing and preserving peace that
win win the approval OF mankind. not
merely peace that will serve the sey-
eral interests and immediate aims of
the nations engaged We shall have
no voice in determining what those
terms shall be. but we shall. l feel
sure, have a voice In determining
whether they shall be made lasting
or not by the guarantees Of a univer-
sal covenant. and our judgment upon
what Ia fundamental and essential as
a condition precedent 10 permanency
should be spoke now, not afterwards.
when It may be too late.
COVENANT SHOULD INCLUDE
NATIONS OF NEW WORLD
NO covenant OF cooperative peace
that does not include the peoples %
the new world can suffice to keep the
future safe against war: and yet there
In only one sort of peace that the peo-
pies OF America could join IN guar
anteeing. The elements of that peace
must he elements that engage the con
fdence and satisfy the principles of
the American governments elements
consistent with their political faith
and the practical convictions which
the peoples of America have once for
az "r9 braced ana undertaken to de-
fena.
DO npt mean TO say that any
American govornment would throw
any obstacle in the way of any terms
of peace the governments now at war
might agree upon. or seek to upset
them, when made, whatever they
might be. / only take II for granted
that mere terms of peace between the
belligerents will not satisfy even the
belugeronts themselves. Mere agree
rnents may not make peace secure l.
will he absolutely necessary that a
force be created as a guarantor OF
tho permnnency OF the settlement. 30
much greater than the force of any
nation now engaged or any alliance
hitherto formed or projected that no
nation. no probable combination OF
nations could face or withstand II.
II the peace presently to be made -
TO endure, II must be a peace made
secure by the organized ma jor force
OF mankind.
The terms OF the immediate peace
agreed upon will determine whether
II Is "a peace for which ouch guar
antee can be secured.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES
INVOLVED IN PRESENT WAR?
The question upon which the
whole future peace and policy of the
world depends Is this; Is the present
war n struggle for a Just and secure
peace, or only for new balance OF
power? If It be only struggle for a