The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-12-06


port ana L. every nation the final
settlement must q feet. our enemies
as well as our friends.
intrigue Led Russia Astray."
You catch, with me, the voices Of
humanity that are in the cir. They
grow more audible, more articulate,
more persuasive, and they come from
the hearts of men everywhere. They
insist that the war shall not end in
vindictive action of any kind; that
no nation or people shall be robbed
or punished because the irresponsible
rulers OF single country have them
selves done deep and ;oominable
wrong. 1t is this thought that has
been expressed in the formula, mo
annexations, no contributions, no
punitive indeninities." Just because
this crude formula expresses the in
stinctive judgment as to right of plain
men everywhere. it has been made
diligent use of by the masters Of Ger
man intrigue to lead the people Of
Russia astray-and the people of ev-
cry other country their agents could
reach. in order that premature peace
might be brought about before au-
tocracy has been taught its final and
convincing lesson and the people Of
the world put in control of their own
destinies.
But the fact that wrong use has
been made OF just idea is no reason
why right use should not be made
of it.
It ought to be brought under the
patronage of its real friends. Let 1t
be said again that autocracy must
first be shown the utter futility of
its claims to power or leadership in
the modern world It is impossible
to apply any standard OF justice so
long as such forces are unchecked
and undefeated as the present mas
ters of Germany command. Not un-
til that has been done can Right be
set up as arb.ter and peacemaker
among the nations. But when that
has been done-as God willing it as
suredly will be-we shall at last be
free to do an unprecedented thing
and this is the time to avow our pur-
pose to do it. We shall be free to
base peace on generosity and justice,
to the exclusion of all selfish claims
to advantage even on the part of the
victors,
Let there be no misunderstanding
Our present and immediate part Is
to win the war and nothing shall turn
us aside from it until it is accom-
plished. Every power and resource
we possess, whether of men, oi
money, or of materials, is being de
voted and will continue to be de
voted to that purpose until it il
achieved. Those who desire to bring
peace about before that purpose II
achieved | counsel to carry their ad
vice elsewhere. We will not enter
tain it. We shall regard the war II
won only when the German people
say to US, through properly accredit
ed representatives, that they arr
ready to agree to settlement baset
upon justice and the reparation O
the wrongs their rulers have done
They have done q wrong to Belgium
which must be repaired. They hav,
established power over other land.
and peoples than their own-over til,
great empire of Austr:a-Hungary, owe
hitherto free Balkan states. over TuI
! key and within Asia-which must b,
relinquished.
/ Germany's success by skill. by in
dustry. by knowledge. by enterpris
We did not grudge or oppose, bu
admired rather. She had built Vi
for herself a real empire of trade an
influence, secured by the peace Of th
world. We were content to abide tn
| rivalries of manufacture, science an
commerce that were involved for u
in her success and stand or fall a
we had or did not have the brain
and the initiative to surpass her. Blu
at the moment when she had cor
| spicuously won her triumph of peac
| 0AO tA4CW kANA away " COI00lASA j.
their stead what the world will n
longer permit to be established, mi
itary and political domination
arms, by which to oust where sh
could not excel the rivals she mos
feared and hated.s The peace "
make must remedy that wrong.
must deliver the once fair lands an
happy peoples of Belgium and nortl
ern France from the Prussian col
quest and the Prussian menace, br
it must also deliver the peoples {
Austria Hungary. the peoples Of th
Balkans and the peoples of Turke.
alike in Europe and in Asia. from th
impudent and alien domination of th
Prussian military and commercial Al
tocracy.
No Wish to Impair Austria.
4 We owe it, however, to ourselvs
to say that we do not wish in an
way to impair or to rearrange tt
Austria Hungarian empire. 1t is d
affair of ours what they do with the
own life, either industrially or poll
ically. We do not purpose or desil
to dictate to them In any way. "
only desire to see that their affai
are left in their own hands, in q
matters, great or small. We shs
hope to secure for the peoples of Il
Balkan peninsula. for the people
the Turkish empire the right and Q
Iportunity to make their own liv
safe, their own fortunes secu
| against oppression or injustice al
from the dictation of foreign cour
or parties.
And our attitude and purpose wi