The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-08
PRESIDENT WILSON'S MESSAGE
AMERICAS AIMS IN PROSECUT.
ING THE WAR DEFINED.
Liberty, Justice and Mercy, With
Safety fer All Peoples, the Goal for
Which the United States is Striving
in Waging War.

o'oecAicHI lo Tie WOTlu OIL America
war aims and of the basis upon
which peace will be considered was |
made today by President Wilson in an !
address to congress in which he urged |
immediate declaration Of a state of
war between the United States and
Austria Hungary-Germany's vassal
and tool
AS to Turkey and Bulgaria-also
tools Of the enemy-he counseled de-
Jay because they do not yet stand in
the direct path of our necessary ac-
tor"
To win the war. the president de-
cared in emphatic and ringing tones,
is the immediate and unalterable task
ahead. He urged congress, just begin
ming it's second war session, to con-
centrate itself upon it.
The president sharply dismissed the
possibility of premature peace, sought
| by German intrigue and debated here
by men who understand neither it's
nature nor the way it may be attain
ed. With victory an accomplished
fact, he said, peace will be evolved
based upon mercy and justice"-to
enemy and friend--with hope of
partnership of nations to guarantee
future world peace.
The war will be deemed won. he
declared, when the German people
say to US, through properly accredited
representatives. that they are ready to
agree to a settlement based upon JUS
tice and reparation of the wrongs
their rulers have done'
Terms of peace, he added, would
not include dismemberment, robbery
or punishment of the enemy but
would be based on justice defined
briefly as follows:
Freedom of nations and their peo-
pie from autocratic domination, repa-
ration to Belgium. REIMBURSEMENT ot
German power over the peoples OF
Austria, Turkey, the free Balkan
States, as we'll as evacuation Of Prus-
sian territorial conquests in Pelgium
and Northern France.
Emphasizing the purpose of the
United States not to interfere In the
internal affairs Of any nation, the pres.
ident asserted that no wrong against
the German empire was intended and
nat there was no desire to rearran 20
'iie Aus'ro-Hungarian empire. He said
when he spoke eight months ago of
the right OF nations to free access of
the seas he had Austria, as we'll as the
smaller and weaker nations. in mind
Appearing before congress in Joint
session for the first time since he
asked for the declaration of war
against Germany last April the presi
dent was more warmly greeted and
MS speech was received with enthus-
laStlc applause which grew tumult-
ouSly when he reached the recon-
hendations as to Austria, diplomats.
justices of the supreme court and
other high officials assembled on tho
'ioor joining in the demonstration
me definition Of war aims and peace
terms, the most explicit ever voiced
by the head of any of the great war.
ring powers, was accepted as the
more significant because since his re-
piy to the pOpe's peace note the presi-
oent has come TO be regarded more
and more as a spokesman for all the
nations fighting Germany
BY advance arrangement the adj
dress was made available for publica-
uon today in nearly every corner of
the globe. 1t probably will not an
pear in full in the Teutonic press but
the papers of neutral countries and
the work of allies aviators will get il
to many a German in unmutilated
form.
Foth branches of congress adjourn
ed after the president closed the
house until tomorrow and the senate
Until Friday. Immediate steps wore
taken to translate the presidents war
recommendations into action. The
house foreign relations committee was .
summoned to meet tomorrow Mt D.
m. and the senate foreign affairs COM
mittee on Thursday morning. Chair
began drafting the Austrian war res
o'ut'on which will be similar to that
Of April against Germany. Repre- $
sentative Flood plans to introduce the {
resolution i'm the house tomorrow and I
report il for action late tomorrow or g
rhurSlnN 70 Snro ti,,,a .l.. .-A.>-.-