Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-05


tons which must henceforth guaran-
tee the worlds peace. That partnership
must be a partnership of peoples, not
a mere partnership of governments 1t
might he impossible, also, in such UNI
toward circumstances, 10 admit Ger
many to the free economic intercourse
which must inevitably spring out OF
the other partnerships of a real peace.
But there would be no aggression in
that; and such a situation, inevitable
because of distrust, would in the very
nature Of things sooner or later cure
itself by processes which would as
suredly set N.
The wrongs, the very deep Wr1gs,
committed in this war wi:i have 20 be
righted. That of course. But they can
not and must not be righted by the
commission of similar wrongs against
Germany and her allies. The world will
not permit the commission of similar
| wrongs as a means of reparation and
settlement. Statesmen must by this
time have learned that the opinion of
the world is everywhere wide awake
I and fully comprehends the issues in
| volved. No representative of any self
governed nation will dare disregard IT
by attempting any such covenants of
| HslfiShness and compromise as we've en-
tered into at the congress of Vienna.
The thought of the plain people here
Iard everywhere throughout the world,
the people who enjoy no privileges and
have Very simple and uns0phiStcated
standards of right and wrong. is the
air all governments must henceforth
breath if they would live.
1t is the full disclosing light Of
that thought that all policies must be
| conceived and executed in this mid
DAY hour of the worlds life. German
rulers have been able to upset the
peace OF the world only because the
German people were not suffered IN
der their tutelage 10 share the COM
radeship of the other peoples OF the
! world either in thought or in purpose.
They We're allowed to have no opinion
of their own which might he set up as
a rule of conduct for those who eX-
ercised authority over them. But the
congress that concludes this war will
feel the full strength of the tides that
| run now in the hearts and con-
| sciences of free men everywhere. Its
conclusions Will run with those tides.
! All these things have been true from
the very beginning OF this stupendous
war: and | cannot help thinking that
if they had been made plain at the
| very outset the sympathy and cnthu-
siasm of the Russian people might
have been once for all enlisted on the
side Of the Allies, suspicion and dis
trust swept away and real and last
ing union of purpose effected. Had
they believed these things at the very
moment, of their revolution, and had
they been confirmed in that belief
since. the sad reverses which have re-
Gently marked the progress of their
| affairs towards an ordered and sta
BILE government of free men might
have been avoided. The Russian
people have been poisoned by the Very
| same falsehoods that have kept the
! German people in the dark. and the
poison has been administered by the
| very same hands. The only possible
! antidote is the truth 1t cannot he ut
tered too plainly or too often.
American Attitude Not Altered
From every point of view there
fore, it has seemed to be my duty
TO speak these declarations of purpose,
to add these specific interpretations
TO what took the liberty of saying to
the Senate in January. Our entrance
into the war has not altered our atti-
tude towards the settlement that must
| come when it is over. When ] said
in January that the nations of the
world were entitled not only to free
pathways upon the sea, but also to as
sured and unmolested access to those
| 7 hinty
| thinking now. not of the smaller and
| weaker nations alone, which need our
countenance and support. but also Of
the great and powerful nations and or
our present enemies as we'll as our
present associates in the war. | was
thinking and am thinking now Of Aus
tria herself among the rest, Is we'll
as Of Serbia and of Poland. Justice
and equality of rights can be had only
| at a great price. We are seeking per-
manent, not temporary foundations for
the peace Of the world. and must seek
them candidly and fearlessly. AS all
ways. the right will prove to be the
expedient
What shall we do then, to push this
great war of freedom and justice to
its righteous conclusion? We must
lclear away with a thorough hand all
impediments to success and we must
make every adjustment of law that
will facilitate the full and free use of
our whole capacity and force as a
fighting unit.
War with Austria
One very embarrassi obstacle that
stands in our way is that We are at
war with Germany. but not with her
Allies | therefore very earnestly rec
ommend that the Congress Immediate
" declare the United States in state
of war with Austria Hungary. Does
! il seem strange to You that this should
/ be the conclusion Of the argument !
! have Just addressed to you? 1t is not
1t is in fact the inevitable logic of
what ! have said. Austria Hungary
is for the time being not her own mist
ress. but simply the Yassal OF the
| German government. We must face
| the facts as they are and act upon
! them without sentiment in this stern
| business The government of Austria
and Hungary is not acting upon its
| own initiative or in response to the
wishes and feelings of its own peoples
but "a the instrument Of another ma