Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-12-13
President Wilson States U.S.. War Aims

the very beginning of this s%tupendous
war; and l cannot help thinking that
If they had been made plain at the
very outset, the sympathy and enthus-
iasm of the Russian people might have
been once for all enlisted on the side
of The allies, suspicion and distrust
swept away and n real and lasting
union OF purpose affected. Had they
believed these things at the very NOM
emf of their revolution had they been
confirmed IN that belief since, the sad
reverses which have recently marked
the progress Of their affairs towards a
stable government of free men have
been avoided. The Russian people have
been poisoned by the very same false
hoods that have kept the German peo-
pie in the dark n the poison has been
administered by h very same hands.
me only possible antidote is the truth.
IT cannot be uttered too plainly or too
often.
lnsures Germany Freedom.
From every point of view, therefore.
NJ a seemed to be my duty to speak
these declarations of purpose, to add
ihese specific interpretations to what
l TOOK the liberty of saying to the
senate IN January. Our entrance into
the war has not altered our attitude
towards the settlement that must come
When 1T is over. When l said in January
that the nations of the world were en-
titled not only to free pathways apo
the sea, but also to assured and unmo-
Tested access to those pathways l was
thinking. and l am thinking now, not
OF the smaller and weaker nations
alone, which need our countenance and
support, but also of the great and
lny.TnlsftI1 fsD --l 20 -,, ,,OaN,
enemies as we'll as present as: o.
crates in the war. l was thinking. and
am thinking now, of Austria herself,
among the rest, as we'll as of Serbia
and of Poland. Justice and equality of
rights can be had only at Il great price.
we are seeking permanent, not tenn
porary foundations for the peace of the
world and must seek them candidly
and fearlessly. as always the right will
prove to he the e%Xpedient.
what shall we do, then, to push this
great war of freedom and justice to it's
righteous conclusion? We must clear
away with a thorough hand all impede
every adjustment Of law that will ia
cllitate the full and free use Of our
whole capacity and force as a fighting
unit.
Recommends War on Austria.
NV NSN clIIDttl ISlSSIllS ODSltClS
that stands in our way is that we are
at war with Germany but not with her
allies. l therefore Very earnestly rec
ommend that the congress Immediately
declare the United States i'm a state
OF war with Austria-Hungary. Does
1T seem strange to you that this should
be the conclusion of the argument [
have Just addressed to you? 1t is not
1T is, in fact. the inevitable logic of
what L have said. Observation-Disclosures is
for the time being not her own mis-
tress, but simply the vassal of the Ger
man government. We must face the
facts as they are and act upon them
Without sentiment in this stern duty.
The government of Observation-Disclosures is
not acting upon its own initiative or in
response to the wishes and feelings of
its w peoples but as the instrument
OF another nation. We must meet it's
Iofce with u W and regard the CEN
tral powers as but one. The war can
be successfully conducted in no other
way. The same logic would lead also
to Il declaration of. war against turkey
and Bulgaria. They also are the tools
of Germany. But they are mere tools
ard do not yet stand in the direct path
OF our necessary action. We shall so
Wherever the necessities of his war
carry us, but it seems to me that we
should go only where immediate and
practical considerations lead us and
not heed any others.
Urges Check on Aliens.
The financial and military measures
which must be adopted will suggest
themselves as the war and it's under
takings develop but l will take the lib
erty of proposing to you certain other
acts of legislation which seem to me
10 De needed FOR n support of the
war and for the release of our whole
force n energy.
1t VIII be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation of
the last session with regard to alien
enemies; and also necessary l believe.
to create a very definite and particular
control over the entrance and depar-
ture of all persons into and from The
United States.
l. Legislation should be enacted defin-
ing as a crimina offense every wilful
violation of the presidential proclama-
tons relating to alien enemies promul-
gated under section 4O67 of the revised
statutes n providing appropriate
punishments, and ONE as we'll as
men should be included under the
terms of the acts. placing restraints
upon alien enemies. 1t is likely that
as time goes on many alien enemies
will be willing to- be fed and housed at
the expense of the government in the
detention camps and it would be the
purpose of the legislation have sug-
gested to confine offenders among
them in penitentiaries and other SINH
lar institutions, where they could be
made to work as other criminals do.
Wants More Price Limits.
Recent experience has convinced mo
that the congress must go further in
authorizing the government to set
limits to prices. The law of supply
and demand, l am sorry to say. has