The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-05

swerve Russia to unreserved support
tof the allied cause.
And as IL speaking to Americas al
lies in the war, the president stated
that the only antidote to the poison
Of falsehood that is keeping the Rus
SLAMS and Germans in the dark, Is the
truth.
1T cannot be uttered too plainly or
too often" he pointedly asserted.
II the German people are unable to
respond to the political offensive di-
rected against their rulers, and the
German government does not counter
the American statement Of war aims
with declaration decanting arrogant
ambitions of the past-then American
officials today see only prolonged, bit
ter war ahead.
Officials see in Germa any so crush
ed by arms that she must, Of military
necessity, restore Belgium and north
ern France, release Austria, Turkey
and the Balkans from her grasp, ma.
Ition beaten to her knees.
For America and the allies this
means bloody sacrifice. 1t means the
welding of every resource to it's ut
most capacity. The huge appropria-
lions this congress has been asked to
approve are an indication OF the cost
in money. Officials agreed today that
America and the allies will have all
they can do to crush Germany's ambi-
lions Of world military domination and
put her back where she was before she
ran rampant and started the war. 1t
was explicitly pointed out today that
President Wilson voiced only the
A NJ ut ;v,k {c l., II,
the allies will fully subscribe to this
declaration of principles.
There has been a constantly grow
ing demand for clear cut statement
of war aims. This government had
hoped that such q declaration might
grow out of the sessions of the inter
allied council and supreme war coun-
Gil meeting in France Colonel House
and members Of the American mission
gave the unofficial Russian represent
tative their support in urging that a
joint statement of aims be made, as
an aid to Russia. This statement was
not forthcoming, but in the presidents
speech of yesterday America has again
stepped forward and taken the lead.
Must Overthrow Kaiser.
BY j. w. Il. mason, written Tor the
United Press.]
NEW york., Dec. 5.-The German
people may shortly know the terms
on which they can have peace, If they
overthrow kaiserism and establish a
democratic form Of government.
This will be the result OF Presi-
dent Wilson'S message to congress
IL the allies accept the obvious invi-
tation the president has extended to
them to declare their war aims.
Bargaining is the trade Of diplomats,
but American diplomacy wants moth
ing out of the war to be bargained
for Other belligerents, however,
are not in this class. They desire
other things beside the establishment
of a parliamentary government in
Germany France, for instance, wants
The Justice Of
these ambitions and their relation
ship to a democratic peace would
have to be determined before any
public announcement of peace terms
were made. If the allies should
state the irreducible minimum of
their terms, they would have to take
into consideration the practical pos
sibility of securing what they want.
To arrive at a basis. of justice in
determining peace conditions, is diff
ferent because national prejudices
ere frequently hard to overcome.
Nevertheless before the war can
end, each nation must face the in
exorable fact confronting it. PRIEST.
dent Wilson's message to congress i3
the most important move yet made
by a belligerent government toward
looking facts in the face. The final
test of war aims must now center
about the extent of sacrifices a ma
ton is willing to make to run the risk
of getting what it wants.
Once let it be made clear to the
Germans what these aims are and
the war will have entered a new
phase. The people of Germany can
then calculate exactly what they will
gain by refusing to be led further
astray by their militarists and what