The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-27
armies and of all programmes of mil

tSoAI aHu ue!.CdIe Us tNeSC
questions are, they must be faced
with the utmost candor and decided
IN B. spirit Of real accommodation, if
peace is to come with healing in it's
wings, and come to stay. Peace can
,Not be had without concession and
Efh9 9ftfce. There can pc no sense Of
|safety and equality among the ma
tions II great preponderating arma-
ments are henceforth to continue and
ghsre and there to be built up and
maintained. The statesmen of the
world must plan for peace and ma
tons must adjust and accommodate
their policy to it as they have planned
|sfpr war and made ready for pitiless
contest and rivalry. The question of
ornaments, whether on land or sea,
Is the most Immediately and intensely
practical Question connected with the
future fortunes Of nations and of
mankind.
|, Il have spoken upon these great
matters without reserve and with the
utmost explicitness because it has
seemed to me to be necessary if the
worlds yearnirg desire for peace was
anywhere to find free voice and utter
ance. Perhaps I am the only person
In high authority amongst all the peo-
pies of the world who is at liberty to
speak and hold nothing back. I am
speaking as an individual, and yet l
ana speaking also, of course. as the
responsible head Of a great govern
ment. and I feel confident that have
said what the people of the United
States would wish me to say.
May I not add that hope and be-
lieve that I am in effect speaking for
liberals and friends of humanity in
every nation and Of every programme
Of liberty? I would fain believe that
I am speaking for the silent mass Of
mankind everywhere who has yet
had no place or opportunity to speak
death and ruin they see to have come
already upon the persons and the
homes they hold most dear.
s,,"And in holding out the expectation
that the people and government of
SNe United States will Join the other
civilized nations Of the world in guar
anteeing the permanence Of peace
Npon. such terms as I have named ]
speak with the greater boldness and
confidence because it is clear to every
man who can think that there is in
this promise no breach in either ou,
traditions or our policy as a nation,
but fulfillment rather. Of all that
kWA have professed or striven for.
II am proposing. as 1t were. tina!
the nations should with one accord
adopt the doctrine Of President Mon
roe az the doctrine of the world:
That no nation should seek to extend
its policy over any other nation or
people. but that every people should
be left free to determine it's own
policy. its own way of development
unhindered, unthreatened, unafraid,
the little along with the great and
powerful.
II am proposing that all nations
henceforth avoid entangling alliances
which would draw them into compe-
titions Of power. catch them in a net
Of intrigue and selfish rivalry, and
disturb their own affairs with influ-
ences intruded from without. There is
no entangling alliance in a concert
Of power. When all unite to act in
the same sense and with the same
purpose. all act in the common in
terest and are free to live their own
lives under a common protection.
II am proposing government by thu
consent of the governed; that freedom
Of the seas which in international
conference after conference, repre-
sentatives have urged with the
sloquence Of those who are the
convinced disciples of liberty: and
that moderation Of armaments whicl;
makes of armies and navies a power
FOR order merely, not an instrument
Of aggression or Of selfish violence
These are American principles
American policies We can stand for
no others. And they are also the
principles and policies of forward
looking men and women everywhere
of every modern nation, of every en-
,ightened community. They are the
principles of mankind and must pre-
vail"