The midland journal., 1917-01-19


| pies, of right and Of humanity
The Allies are fully aware Of the
losses and suffering which the war
causes to neutrals as well as to the
belligerents, and they deplore them; /;
but they do not hold themselves re-
sponsible for thom, having in no way
either willed or provoked this war,
and they strive to reduce these dam
ages in the measure compatible with
the inexorable exigencies of their de-
fense against the violence and the
wiles of the enemy.
1t is with satisfaction, therefore,
that they take note of the declaration
that the American communication is
in nowise associated in its origin with
that of the Central Powers, trans
mitted ON the 18th of December by the
Government of the United States,
They did not doubt, moreover, the
resolution of that Government to avoid
even the appearance of a support, even
moral, of the authors responsible for
the war.
The Allied Governments believe that
they must protest in the most friendly
but in the most specific manner against
| the assimilation. established in the
| American note between the two
groups of belligerents; this assimila-
tion, based upon public declarations by
the Central Powers, is in direct oppo-
sition to the evidence, both as regards
responsibility for the past and as con
| Germs guarantees for the future; Presi
dent Wilson in mentioning it certain
ly had no intention of associating him
self with it.
| If there is an historical fact estab
lished at the present date, it is the
willful aggression of Germany and
Austro- Hungary to insure their hege
mony over Europe and their economic
| domination over the world. Germany
proved by her declaration of war, by
the immediate violation of Belgium
| and Luxemburg and by her manner Of
conducting the war, her Stimulating
contempt for all principles of human
| ity and all respect for small states; as
I the conflict developed the attitude OF
! the Central Powers and their allies
has been continual defiance of hui
manity and civilization. 1t is neces.
sary to recall the horrors which ac-
companied the invasion Of Belgium
| and of Serbia, the atrocious regime
| imposed upon the invaded countries,
the massacre of hundreds of thousands
of inoffensive Armenians, the barbar-
tiles perpetrated against the popula-
! tions of Syria, the raids of Zeppelins
on open towns, the destruction by SUBJ
marines of passenger steamers and of
merchantmen even under neutral
| flags, the cruel treatment inflicted
upon prisoners of war, the jurisdical
murders of Miss Cavel of Captain
Fryatt, the deportation and the reduc-
tion to slavery of civil populations,
ct cetera? The execution of such a
| series of crimes perpetrated without
any regard for universal reprobation
fully explains to President Wilson the
protest of the Allies.
They consider that the note which
they sent to the United States in reply
to the German note will be response
to the questions put by the American
Government, and, according to the
exact words of the latter, constitute
"a public declaration as to the condi-
tions upon which the war could be
terminated"
President Wilson desires more: he
desires that the belligerent powers
openly affirm the objects which they
seek by continuing the war; the Allies
experience no difficulty in replying to
this request. Their objects in the war
are we'll known; they have been
formulated on many occasions by the
chiefs of their divers governments.
Their objects in the war will not be
| made known in detail with all the
equitable compensations and indemni-
| ties for damages suffered until the
| hour of negotiations. But the civilized
world knows that they imply in all
necessity and in the first instance the
restoration of Belgium, of Serbia and
of Montenegro and the indemnities
which are due them; the evacuation of
the invaded territories of France, of
Russia and of Roumania, with just
reparation; the reorganization of Eu-
rope guaranteed by stable regime
and founded as much upon respect of
nationalities and full security and lib
erty of economic development, which
all nations, great or small, possess, as
upon territorial conventions and inter
national agreements suitable to guar
antee territorial and maritime from
tiers against unjustifed attacks; the
restitution of provinces or territories
wrested in the past from the Allies by
force or against the will of their popu-
lations; the liberation Of Italians, of
Slavs, of Roumanians and of Tcheco
SlovaQues from foreign domination;
the enfranchisement of populations
subject to the bloody tyranny of the
Turks; the expulsion from Europe of
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