Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-23
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Chief Points in Declaration of
American Policies Laid Before
Senate Yesterday Afternoon.

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Whether the United States shall
enter Worlds Peace League and
as many contend, thereby abandon
it's traditional policy of isolation ant
no entanging alliances, was iaic
squarely before Congress and the
country yesterday by President Viii
son in personal address to tnt
Senate.
For the first time in more than
hundred years President OF the
United States appeared in the Senate
chamber to discuss the nations for
eign relations Iafter the manner OF
Washington, Adams and Madison.
The effect was to leave Congress, al
official quarters and the. foreign dip
lomats amazed and beWildered.
The Presidents address is the most
momentous declaration upon Ameri'
can foreign policies to which ut
terance has been given since the de-
claration of war upon Spain.
In many respects it transcends
in Importance the act of Congress
in 1898 which launched this Govern
ment upon a policy of colonization
That act initiated the United States
into. the politics of the. Orient and
into the politics of Latin-America
Yesterdays statement presages a
participation by the American peo-
pie in the politics of Europe.
The chief points of the Presidents
address were:
"That a lasting peace in Europe
cannot be a peace of victory Tor
either side"
That peace must be followed by a
definite concert of powers to assure
the world that no catastrophe OF war
shall overwhelm it again"
"That in such a concert OF power
sthe United States cannot withhold
it's partieipationS to. guarantee peace
and justice throughout the world"
And that before a peace is made
the United States Government should
frankly formulate the conditions
upon which it would feel justified IN
asking the American people for their
formal and solemn adherence.
sIt is clear to every man VINO
thinks" the President told the Sen
ate: "that there is in this promise
M breach in either our traditions or
our policy as nation, but full
fllment rather, of all that we nave
professed or striven for
81 am proposing, as it were' tnat
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 Its own
nolicy. it's own way of development,
unhindered, unthreatened, unafrald'
the little along with the great and
powerful.
sI am proposing that all nations
hcnceforth avoid entangling alliances
which would draw them into compet''
tions of power, catch them In ne'
of intrigue and selfish rivalry, and
disturb their own affairs with ln1lu'
ence intruded from without. There
is nc entangling alliance in a con
cert of power when all unite TO ac'
in the same sense and with the same
purpose, all act in the common IN
terest and are free to live their o"r
lives under common protection.
'I am propsing government by the
consent of the governed; that free
dom of the seas, which in interna
tional conference after conference
representatives of the United States
have urged with the eroquence OF
those who are the convinced disciple!
of liberty; and that moderation o:
ornaments which makes of armies
and navies a power for order merel!
not an instrument Of aggression O
of selfish violence.
"These are American principles
American policies. We could STAN
for no others. And they are also tn
principles and policies OF forward
looking men and women everywhere
of every modern nation, of ever!
enlightened community. They are tn
principles of mankind and must pre-
vail"