The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-01-25
WILSON PROPOSES
LEAGUE FOR PEACE
MAKE MONROE DOCTRINE WORLD
DOCTRINE, SAYS PRESIDENT
ADDRESS TO SENATE.
APPEARS BEFORE SENATE
Discusses Nations Foreign Relations.
Declares That Lasting Peace in
Europe Cannot Be a. Victory For
Either Side.

hington.-Whether the United
States shall enter a world peace
league and, as many contend, thereby
abandon it's traditional policy of isola-
ton and no entangling alliances was
laid squarely before Congress and the
country by President Wilson in per-
sonal address to the senate.
For the first time in more than a
hundred years, a President of the,
United States appeared in the senate
chamber to discuss the nations for
eign relations after the manner of
Washington, Adams and Madison. The
effect was to leave congress, all official
quarters and the foreign diplomats
amazed and bewildered. Immediately
there arose a sharp division of opinion
over the propriety as we'll as the sub,
stance of the Presidents proposal.
startling" staggering" "astound-
ing" "the noblest utterance that has
fallen from human lips since the Dec
laration of Independence were among
the expressions of senators. The
President, himself, after his address,
said:
II have said what everybody has
been longing for and has thought i'm
possible. Now it appears to be pos
sible.'
The chief points of the Presi-
dents address were:
That a lasting peace in Eu-
rope cannot be a peace of victory
for either side.
That peace must be followed
by a definite concert of power to
assure the world that no catas-
trophe of war shall overwhe1m it
again.
That in such a concert of pow
ers, the United States cannot
withhold it's participation to guar
antee peace and justice through
out the world.
And that before peace is made
the United States Government
should frankly formulate the con-
ditions upon which it would feel
justified in asking the American
people for their formal and solemn
adherence.
cit is clear to every man who
thinks" the President told the senate,
that there is in this promise no
breach in either our traditions and our
policy as a nation, but a fulf1llment
rather of all that we have protested or
striven for.
President Wilson's address was sent
to American diplomats in the bellig-
erent countries last Monday, two days
before the United States received the
note from Minister Balfour, of the
British Foreign Office, supplementing
the Entente reply to his peace note,
and on the same day that German
Foreign Minister Zimmerman declared
it was impossible for the Central Pow
ers to openly lay down their terms.
The Presidents address was intend
ed as an open message to the world
of the conditions under which he
would urge the United States to enter
world federation to guarantee future
peace. There is nothing in the adj
dress or in the instructions accompany
ing its presentation that will of itself
necessitate an answer, according to
the Administration view but some re-
Spouse nevertheless is expected from
10th groups Of belligerents.
Fear of leak" surrounded the
sending of the address abroad with
such secrecy as has seldom been
equalled in the State Department.
Only President Wilson, Secretary Ian
sing and the men who transmitted it
are known definitely to have been
%ware of it.
While the President was speaking.
copies of his address had been for
warded to belligerent countries for the |
information of the foreign offices, and
were being prepared for representa-
tives of neutral Government here.