The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-02-02
AUTocRAcY'S SEDAN

, dispatch from Washington stating
upon the highest authority" that
President Wilson's address to the SEN
ate lis regarded in entente circles as
a peace move in the interest of the
lTeutonic powers"
The dispatch, with its implications,
is of course untrue Nobody with an
ounce OF brains is capable of believ-
ling that the presidents address was
made for the benefit of Germany. On
the contrary, it is in direct antago-
nism to everything that Germany has
ever represented in national and in
ternational affairs.
Germany's endorsement of the pres
ident's address could mean nothing
less than a revolution in the policies
which have governed the empire
since 1871, and which have governed
Prussia since the time of Frederick
the Great
1t would mean German acquies-
cence in the principles of democracy
as applied to all international rela-
Itions. 1t would mean German accept
ance of the declaration of independ-
ence as a rule of international law.
1t would mean German approval of
the Monroe doctrine as a code for the
nations OF the world.
1t would mean admission on the
part of Germany that invaded Belgium
and destroyed Serbia that the guaran-
tees of a permanent peace must
neither recognize nor imply a differ
ence between big nations and small.
between those that are powerful and
those that are week"
1t would mean admission by the
greatest military power of history
that right must be based upon COM
mon strength. not upon individual
strength" and that the limitation of
armament both on land and sea lis
the most Immediately and intensely
practical question connected with the
future fortunes of nations and of man
kind"
1t would mean admission by the en-
pire that seized Alsace-Lorraine as
the spoil of war, and that has Cypress
ed the Poles for years that mo right
anywhere exists to hand peoples about
from sovereignty to sovereignty as if
they We're property"
1t would mean admission by the au-
tocracy that has deiied Weltmacht
that no nation should seek to extend
its policy over any other nation. but
that every people should be left free
to determine its own policy. its own
way OF development, unhindered. I'M
threatened. unafraid the little along
with the great and powerful
1t would mean admission by the
country Of Tirpitz and Bernhard that
hereafter armies and navies should
be "a power for order merely, not an
instrument OF aggression or selfish
violence
1t would mean that the kaiser who
ha- just proposed peace in the name
of a Germany conscious OF victory"
now assents 70 the di-tum that it
must get "a peace without victory"
which comedies an equality OF rights.
Il would mean that the ruler who
has exploited the diplomacy Of pres
tige and sabrerattling for twenty-five
years is ready to admit that only a
tranquil Europe can be a stable Eu-
rope"
To accept and endorse the presi-
dents address. Germany must revolu-
tionize all its previous theories of
government It must emancipate it.
self from the policies of Prussianism.
1t must turn its back upon the old
gods Of force and frightfulness. 1t
must set its heel upon despotism and
become as completely new Germany
as the France of the republic became
a new France after the downfall of
Napoleon H.
The words of the presidents adj
dress are words that no German gov
eminent has ever understood. and if
the German government now profess
IS to understand them il is because
Germany is beaten and autocracy is
forced to surrender. It is no German
peace that President Wilson has pro-
posed to the world, but a peace Of
democracy, and Germany's assent viii
be the Sedan Of German autocracy.-
World