Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-04
WILSON URGES u. S. TO
DECLARE WAR AGAINST
AUSTRIA HUNGARY
CONTINUED from Page ~


whether their purpose is.
They desire peace by the over
coming of evil, by the defeat once
for all the sinister forces that inter
rup peace and render it impossible
and they wish to know how closely
our thought runs with theirs ant
what action We propose They arc
/ impatient with those who desire peace
by any sort of compromise. deeply
and inyisibly impatient, but they vii
be equally impatient with Us If VI
/ do not make a claim TO them what
our detectives are and what We are
planning for i'm seeking to make con
quest for peace by arms.
T 81 believe that speak for them
when say two things First, that in
tolcrabIe thing Of which the masters
/ Of Germany have shown Us the ugly
face. this menace of combined in
rgue and force which we now see 50
clearly. as the German power. thing
without conscience or honor or capa
city for coyenanted peace. must be
crushed, and. if it be not utterly
brought to an end, at least from the
friendly intercourse of the nations
and, second that when this thing and
its power are indeed defeated and the
time comes that we can discuss
peace, when the German people have
spokesman whose word will stand be.
lieved and whose spokesman are
ready in the name OF their people TO
accept the common judgments of the
nations as TO what shall henceforth
be the basis of law and of covenant
for the rest of the world we shall be
willing and glad to pay the full price
OF peace, and pay it ungrudgingly
We know what that price will be
It will be full and impartial Justice
4 justice done at ever point and 10 every
nation and final settlement must ef
feet our enemies, as we'll as oul
friends.
You catch with me the voices Of
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible. more articu
late. more persuasive and they come
/ from the hearts of men everywhere
They insist that the way shall not
end in indicative action of any kin:
that no nation or people shall BE-
robbed or punished because the ire
sponsible rulers OF a single country
have themselves done deed and for
mdablc wrong, II is this thought that
has been expressed in the formula
no contributions. no punity indem
nifty
Just because this crude formula
, expresses the instructive judgment q,
to right Of plain men everywhere. 4
has been made dlligent use of by til,
masters Of German intrigue TO lcat
The people of Russia astray and the
people Of every country their agents
could reach. in order that prcma
tnre peace might be brought about be
Tore aut0eracy has been taught It,
hnal and convincing lesson and The
people of the world put in control OF
their own dcSlinicS.
But the fact that wrong use has
been made Of Just idea Is no reason
why an excuse should not be made o
/ It. II ought to be brought under tn,
( patronage OF lis real friends Let Il
be said again that autocracy must b,
FIRST shown the utter futility of if,
claims to power thru power or lead
crship in the modern world It is i'm
possible to apply any standard of in.
tee so long as such forces are IN
checked and uudctcated as the prcscn
masters Of Germany command
Not until this has been done ca
right be settled by arbitors and peac,
makers among the nations. But whc
that has been dOne-and God wllin
It aSSuredly viii bc--We shall al eas
be free to do an unprecedented thin
ana this the time TO ayow our purpns
to do it. We shall be free to bas
our generosity and Justice. TO the e,
clusion Of all selfish claims to adval
tagc even on the part Of the victols.
f Let there be no misunderstanding!
, Our present and immediate task
, TO win the war. and nothing shall tur
us aside from it until it is accom-
t pllshed Every power and rcsourc
we possess whether Of men or of m;
tcrials. Is being devoted and will con
, ,inue to be devoted to that purpos
, until 1t is attained Those who desir
70 bring peace about before ihat pu
pose Is achieved counsel to carr
their advice elsewhere. We will nc
entertain it We shall regard the wa
as won only when the German pcopl
say to us, thru properly accrcdite
. representatives. that they are read
to agree to a settlement based upo
justice and the reparation Of tn
. wrongs their rulers have done
They have done a wrong to Be
GUM which must be repaired. The
mad established a power over othe
minds and peoples than their own
over the great empire of Austria.Ilm
gary, over the hitherto free l}alka
states, over Turkey, and within Ash
which must be relinquished.
"Cermany's success by skill. by in