The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-10
viii Never Consent to Settle.
ment on Basis of Restoring
Status Quo Ante Bellum
NATIONS MUST UNITE
TO GUARANTEE PEACE
No Transfer of Territory as
Result of War Save to Give
Its Inhabitants. a Better Rule
and Larger Liberty

| Washington, June "A
league of free nations to en-
force peace must arise out Of
1 the blood and ashes of the
world war. This is the first
and foremost of Americas dc.
mands, made plain in the note
from President Wilson to the
provisional government Of
Russia.
The note, which was MAIDS
public here today. defines the
aims of America in the war,
tells what the United States
is fighting for and what she
will demand when the peace
delegates gether around the
green table and start redraft-
ing the map Of the world.
The president declares that
the United States can nsysr
accede to the declaration Of
the status quo ante as a basis
of settlement. That, he de.
clares, is what the Germans
want. What America is fight
ing for and will demand are
these things:
mo transfer of territory
except to give its inhabitants
a better rule and larger liberty.
2-No indemnities except to
right wrongs done.
3-No people to be forced
under a sovereignty distasteful
10 them. But, above all, the
president repeats, and re-
iterates, adequate safeguards
! must be created" to prevent
an outburst Of a nation with a
thirst for world power and a
place in the sun" again over
throwing the peace of the
world.
Americas Objective.
The presidents note---in reality the
public declaration of what the United
States is fighting for--was sent to
Russia to time with the arrival OF the
Root mission there. 1t also had this
purpose OF bringing to the realization
Of the Russian people, now fighting
their own fight for liberty from sn
autocratic rule the sympathy and
support which that fight is finding in
ttse-Fe public across Lthe-seasL and-o&-
bracing the tottering efforts OF the
new Russian democracy from fall
ing into the meshes of German In
trigues for a separate peace. 1t was
TO stiffen the backbone of Russia that
the note was sentAand that the Root
mission was rushed across the sea at
top. speed Former Senator Root and
his colleagues are now en- route TO
petrograd on special train. and are
expected to reach there on Monday.
More Optimistic Reports.
The Wilson note was dispatched
almost two weeks ago. 1t has been
In the hands OF the Russian govern
ment for more than ten days. That
the warning to Russia il contains has
had some OF the effects desired is fAs
dieated in state department dis
patches. Although these have always
been more optimistic than press re-
ports. II is taken as significant that
during the last few days a much
brighter tone has marked AmbaSaa-
der Francis communications to his
government concerning events IN Rus
STA.
President Wilson bases his note on
the fact that the objects OF the United
States have been made the target for
misleading reports. This he blames
on Germany. and enters into bitter
castigation of the German govern.
ment and it's treachery. both to the
world and to Its own people.
The Wilson note was made pubic
here only after permission had hesN
received from the Russian govern.
A~>~~ 49, WtAv NaGa~l~~