Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-23
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

L
The president has shattered pre-
,eedent, as he has done on several
former occasions. by the manner in
! which he has made his communica-
: tons to congress. The country has
grown accustomed to the personal de-
livery of brief address TO congress
instead of a long message, and there
seems to be general impression
that the change is good one. On
Monday, for the first time since 1901.
a. president of the United States ad-
dressed single body OF the nation
al congress in person. That of it
self Is not important. 1t is impor-
tant, however, that a president Of the
United States, the head of its eX-
ecutive department, and the man on
whom rests direct responsibility for
the maintenance of our foreign re-
1attons, should take occasion to ad-
dress the senate, which is jointly re-
sponsible with him, in relation to the
Issues which must be determined at
or after the close of the great war.
The president feels that the Uni
ted States must associate itself with
the other great nations Of the world
IN an alliance for the purpose not
alone of promoting but of enforcing
peace. From that many will dissent.
But dissent from that proposition
cannot be justified on any basis con-
sistent with the interests or the obli-
cations of the United States. Not
withstanding the fact that this war
has brought great wealth to many
OF our people, it has been a costly
war for the United States, and we
have as yet only begun to pay the
price. Any great war would be in
furious to us, and we have no assur-
ance that in neither this or any fu-
ture war we ourselves may not be
directly involved. Enduring peace is
of the most vital interest to the Uni
ted States.
To expect or desire that the peace
which is to be of such service to US
Is to be brought about and main
tained without any effort or sacrifice
on our part. and that other nations
are to keep the peace. not only for
. themselves, but for us. is the con-
temptible policy of the coward. and
is not to be considered for a mo-
naent. 1t is the right, as it is the duty
of the United States. to participate
with other nations in the Great ton
and maintenance of a just and right
eous peace.
The terms on which the president
thinks lasting peace can only be
secured will be received with
sentiments of approval accord
ing to locality. The paragraph
with reference TO the rights of the
little nations will please Belgium and
her smaller companions in msfor-
tune. 1t is in general accord with
the announced policy Of the allies,
and will not be so pleasing among
those Germans who have hoped 10
Germanize the Balkans. The para
graph which points TO the release Of
Russia from her land-locked posi-
ton will please the allies and be un-
satisfactory to the central powers.
The discussion Of the limitation of
armament by land and bv sea
touches on thing which will be es-
sential in any scheme for real peace
Great Britain has never maintained
more than a nominal standing army
until forced to create one for this
war. She has proposed to Germany
q limitation of naval armament, and
the proposal has been rejected.
The paragraph in which the pres
ident expresses his conviction that
peace that is permanent cannot be
secured through victory will be de-
nounced in the entente countries and
warmly welcomed in Germany and
the countries allied with her. The
German position earlier in the war
was that German victory was essen
tial to peace. Her position now is
that the German victory has been
won, therefore there may be peace.
The allies maintain, not only that the
decisive defeat Of Germany will ush-
j er In an era Of peace, but that with
out that defeat lasting peace is i'm
possible. This portion Of the address.
therefore. is in direct contradiction
OF tho arguments Of the allies, and
is an assertion, in substance, that
the very thing which they consider
& vital ana for which they have de-
clared their willingness to spend
{ their last dollar and shed their last
drop Of blood. is, whether possible
OF attainment or not, thing to be
avoided as being directly contrary to
the interests Of humanity.