The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-22
Would Add British Power to
NeutraIS for World Peace.
Time for L. :. to Move Is Now,
Not After War.
ARMIES TO POLICE WORLD
Force for Peace Must Exceed
That of Any Nation.
Europe Must Be Community of
Power, Not Rivals.

WASHINGTON. Jan. - President
Wilson. in a personal address to the
senate today. laid down the question
Of whether the United States shall de-
part from its traditional policy of iso-
lation and no entangling alliances and
take part in a world league to preserve
peace after the war.
No such history making event with
such far-reaching possibilities to the
United States probably ever had been
seen in the senate chamber.
SCATTERING precedent of more than
a century. the president, regarding the
senate with its reaty-making power as
his counsellor in foreign affairs, eX-
planned why he believed the time had
come for the world to know Americas
position and discussed the underlying
causes on which he believes a perman-
ent peace of the world can be main
tanned
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.
Alter Century Old Policies.
In the background of the funda
mental proposition of whether the
United states should alter the foreign
policy laid down by Washington and
carried out by long line Of presi-
dents was the possibility that out IF
some such league of nations might
come a way to end the present war.
For nearly half an hour the
president spoke with members of the
senate members of the cabinet and
packed salleris listening with rapt at
tention. When he concluded there
was a tremendous burst of applase, in
which many of the Republican sena-
tors joined the Democrats.
When the president had finished.
and the senate returned to its regu
lar business, Senator Lafollotte epito-
mixed the sentiment of all present by
saying:
Important Hour in Life of World.
I'VE have just passed thru a very
important hour in the life of the
world"
Senators generally reserved com
-ment on the presidents address. but
some Republicans who said they did
not wish to be quoted. said they were
substance"
Briefly. the president in his address
said that he believed no peace which
was "a peace of victory in the present
war would be a permanent peace and
that it must be taken for granted that
peace must be followed by some
definite concert of power which will
make it virtually impossible that any
such catastrophe should ever over
whelm us again
Text of Presidents Address.
The president spoke as follows:
"Gentlemen Of the Senate: on the
18th of December last l addressed an
identic note to the governments of
the nations now at war requesting
them to state more definitely than
they had yet been stated by either
group of belligerents the terms upon
which they would deem it possible to
make peace. l spoke on behalf of hui
mainly and of the rights of all neutral
nations like our own, many of whose
most vital interests the war puts in
constant jeopardy
The central powers united in re-
ply which stated merely that they
were ready to meet their antagonists
in conference to discuss terms of
peace.
The entente powers have replied
much more definitely and have stat
ed in general terms, indeed. but wit
sufficient definiteness to imply de-
tails, the arrangements, guarantees
and acts of reparation which they
deem to be the indispensable condi-
tions of a satisfactory settlement.
We are that much nearer a def
mite discussion of the peace which
shall end the present war. We are
that much nearer the discussion of
national concert which thereafter
would hold the world at peace. In
every discussion OF the peace that
must end this war it is taken for
granted that that peace must be given
by some definite concert of power