The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-12-13
WHAT ARE GERMANY'S WAR
AIMS?

President Wilson's war address is
a new challenge to the German gov
eminent to define it's war aims. The
challenge is emphasized by his de-
mand for declaration of war against
AustriaHungary.
and objects in this war has ever been
issued. When President Wilson
year ago requested such statement
from all the belligerents, the CEN
trail powers alone refused to answer.
Officially the German government
pretends to be fighting a defensive
war to save the empire from destruc-
ton, but never has it laid down the
terms of peace which in it's opinion
would guarantee the security Of the
empire from enemies without.
At the same time, German propa-
ganda has been active for a year in
demanding more definite statements
Of the war aims of the allies. Under
the Influence Of German a~ents this
ances of the Russian Bolsheviki. lg
noring the fact that no terms OF any
kind mad ever been offered by uer-
many, the Petfograd radicals in
sisted thai the failure of the Allies
to estate their war aims justified
The Bolshevik government in enter
ing upon Independent peace negotia-
llOllS WIN lue -IcIulGu SO'cI HLiclt.
But the Bolsheviki were not alone
hand of the Allies alphabetically.
The pacific elements in the United
States and Great Britain took up the
cry, and finally the most perfect liv-
ing example of reactionarv Toryism,
the Marquis Of Lansdowne, added his
voice to the demand.
So far as the United States in con-
prnc
swered all of them. He-has stated
the war aims and the war objects Of
this country clearly and unequivo-
cally. There can be no doubt in Ber-
lin or Vienna as to what kind Of peace.
the United States is fighting for or
what must happen in Germany and
Austria Hungary before formal ne
gotiations can begin.
What answer, then, has the Ger
man government to make? What
has the Austro-Hungarian govern
ment to offer to it's people when they
begin to ask embarrassing questions
as to why the United States has been
added to the enemies of the. Dual
Monarchy, Some sort OF reply. viii
eventually have to be made 1t is in
conceivable that 100 ,000, 900 people
will fight forever in the dark, Or that
they will be forever satisfied with
vague and shifty concentrations
from Charcellors and Foreign Minis
tiers.
The problem would be immeasur-
ably simplified if the full text of the
Presidents address could be publish
ed throughout Gelm many and Austria
Hungary; if the people Of the Cen
trail Powers knew that this address
was message to them as well as to
the Congress and the American peo-
pie. We cannot hope for that, but
the fact that such a message was
delivered by the President is certain
to make its way throughout Ger
many, however much the actual text
OF the address may be mr tilated be-
fore publication.
The President has greatly slrelg-
thened the position OF the United
STAGES and the Allies by simplifying
the essential ISSUES of the war In
doing this he has inevitably weaken
ed the position of the German gov
eminent in holding that no concrete
terms of peace can be discussed ex-
cept in secret conference. The very
contrast between the attitude of the
Allies and the Central Powers is a
military accomplishment of the ut
most value.
The German government can con-
tinue to lie to its people by telling
them that the Allies are bent upon
the destruction of the empire and
their political enslavement, but Offic-
ial mendacity has it's new hazards in
the light of President Wilson's adj
dress. The results may not be I'M
mediately apparent but the ultimate
effect is certain.-New York World.