Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-23

While PRESIDENT wilson was speak
ing directly to the senators, after the
manner of Washington, Madison and
Adams, his address was in the hands
of all foreign governments or on its
way to them.
No such history-making event with
such far-reaching possibilities to, the7
United States probably ever had been
seen in the senate chamber. For /
nearly a half hour the president
spoke with members of the senate,
members of the cabinet and packed
galleries listening with rapt atten-
ton. When he concluded there was
1 tremendous burst of applause
SENATOR'S RESERVED.
When the president had finished and
the senate returned to its regular BUSH
ness, Senator LaFollette epitomized the
sentiment OF all present by saying:
We have just passed through a very
important hour IN the life of the world. =
Senators generally were reserved on the
presidents address, but some Republic
ans, who said they did not wish to be.
quoted. declared they were opposed to-
both the propriety and substance"
Briefly, the president said he believed
that no peace which evas peace Of VIC
tory in the present war would be
permanent peace and that it must be
taken for granted that peace must be
followed by some definite concert OF
powers which will make it virtually Inn
possible that any such catastrophe
should overwhelm us again"
TT is inconceivable," he said, that
the people of the United States should
play no part in that great enterprise"
At another pont the president said:
mo covenant of cooperative peace
that does not include the peoples of the
new world can suffice to keep the future
safe against war
In holding out the expectation that
the United States would join other ma
tions in a league for peace the presi-
dent declared it must be clear ito ev-
cry man WHO can think, that there Ia
in this promise no breach in either our
traditions or our policy as a nation, but
a fulfilment rather of all that we have
professed or striven for
In concluding, the president said:
Il am proposing, as it were, that the
nations should with one accord adopt the
doctrine of President Monroe as the doc
trine of the world; that no nation should
seek to extend it's policy over any other
nation or people. but that every people
should he left free to determine its
own polity, its own way of Development
unhindered, unthreatened, unafraid the
little along with the great and power
full
Il am proposing that all nations
henceforth avoid entangling alliances
which would draw them into competf-
tons of power. catch them in a net of in
triSue and selfish rivalry, and disturb
their own affairs without influences in
truded from without"
President Wilson's own view of his
speech to the senate today was given in
discussion with a senator just after his
address.
Il have said what everybody has been
longing for. but has thought impossible.~
Mr.. Wilson declared. Now it appears
to be possible"
LETTER TO SENATE
The presidents letter, dated Sundaz.
and in which he asked for a hearing be-
for the senate, was as follows:
My Dear MIR, Vice President:
There is a communication concern
ing the foreign relations Of the
country which think it my duty to
make TO the senate and which
would very much like to make in
person. l would be very much
obliged if 1 might be afforded the
opportunity to do so tomorrow. the
ed, If it can be arranged withor1
inconvenience to the senate.
l know of no other than this in
formal way in which to convey this
wish to the senators. L have spok-
en- to Senator Stone, the chairman of
the committee on foreign relations
about it, and have asked him to
confer with you.
Cordially and sincerely yours.