Middletown transcript., 1917-01-27

10 uncover realities. Any peace which
does not recognize and accept this
principle will inevitably be upset. 1t
will not rest upon the affections or
the convictions Of mankind. The fer
ment Of spirit of whole populations
will fight subtly and constantly
against it, and all the world will
sympatbize. The world can be at peace
only If its life is stable, and there can
be no stability where the will is In
rebellion, where there is not tranquil
ity Of spirit and sense OF justice, OF
freedom and Of right.
$50 far as practicable. moreover,
every great people now struggling TO-
ward full development OF its re-
sources and of its powers should be
assured a direct outlet to the great
highways of the sea. Where TINS
cannot be done by the cession OF ter
ritory, it can no douSt be done oy
the naturalization Of direct rights OF
way under the general guarantee which
will assure the peace itself. With
right comfy of arrangement no ma
tion need be shut away from free ac-
cess to the open paths Of the worlds
commerce.
Sea Must Be Free.
And the paths Of the sea must
alike in law and in fact be free. The
freedom of the seas is the sine qua
non of peace, equality and co-opera.
tion. No doubt, somewhat radical
reconsideration Of many OF the rules
of international practice hitherto
thought to be established may be
necessary in order to make the seas
indeed free and common in prac-
tically all circumstances for the use
Of mankind. but the motive for such
chances Is convincing and compelling.
There can be no trust or intimacy be-
tween the peoples of the world without
them. The free, constant, unthreat-
ened intercourse of nations is an es'
sential part cf the process OF peace
and of development. 1t need not be
difficult either to define or to secure
the freedom Of the seas If the govern
ments of the world sincerely desire to
come to an agreement concerning 1t.
Mutual Concessions.
1T is problem closely connected
with the limitation Of naval arma'
| ments and the cooperation of the
navies Of the world in keeping the
seas at once free and safe. And the
question Of limiting naval armaments
opens the wider and perhaps more
difficult question Of the limitation Of
armies and of all programs of military
preparation. Difficult and delicate as
these questions are, they must be faced
with the utmost candor and decided III
a spirit of real accommodation, if peace
is to come with healing in its wings
and come to stay.
peace cannot be had without con
cession and sacrifice. There can be
no sense of safety and equality among
the nations If great preponderatins
alnaments are heneeforth to continue
here and there to be bunlt up and main
tanned. The statesmen Of the wcrlt
must plan for peace and nations
must adjust and accommodate thel
policy to it as they have planned fo
war and made ready for pitiless con
test and rivalry. The question o
ornaments, whether on land or sea. il
the most Immediately and intensel.
practical question connected with tn
future fortunes of nations and Of man
kind
His Unique Position.
Il have spoken upon these grea
matters without reserve and with tn
utmost explicitness, because it ha
seemed to me to be necessary II tn
worlds yearning desire for peace wa
anywhere to find free voice and utter
ance. Perhaps l am the only person il
! high authority amongst all the pee
pies Of the world who is at liberty t
speak and hold nothing back. l an
speaking as an individual, and yet
am speaking also, Of course, as the re
snonsible head of a great government
and l feel confident that | have sal
what the people of the United State
would wish me to say. May I not ad
that 1 hope and believe that l am i
effect speaking for liberals and friend
Of humanity in every nation and G
every program of liberty?
"And in holding out the expectation
that the people and government 6
the United States will join the othe
civilized nations of the world in sua1
anteeing the performance og peac
upon such terms as l have named
speak with the greater boldness an
confidence because 1t is clear to ever
man who can think that there is /
this promise no breach In either ou
traditions or our policy as natior
but a fulfllment, rather, Of all tha
we have professed or striven for.
81 am proposing that all nation
henceforth avoid entangling alliance
which would draw them into compel
tions of power, catch them in a net
intrigue and selfish rivalry and distur
their own affairs with influences Il
tr,nIed from without There is no el
tanglfng alliance in a concert OF powe
When all unite to act in the sam
sense and with the same purpose a
act in the common interest and al
e free to live their own lives under
I common protection
i II am proposing government by ii
: consent Of the governed; that freedol
of the seas which in international CO..
$ ference after conference represent
9 tives of the United States have urge
/ with the eloquenc of those who are I'll
I convinced disciples of liberty; and tn
$ moderation of alunaments which maxi
z Of arn,ies and naYieS a power for ord.