Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-07
AMERICAS WAR AIMS.

know the nature of Americas war
aims.
Summed up in language less elegant
han the presidents these aims, as he
enumerates them are:
To crush or at least to Danish
from the councils of the nations
the militaristic power of the Ger
man government:
To discuss peace with the Ger
man people only when they shall
be represented in the peace coun-
Gil by spokesman whom the world
can trust and who are willing to
accept the common judgment of
the other nations as to the future
bases of International law and hui
man rights;
To demand absolute justice to
ally and enemy alike in the settle.
ment of the questions arising
from the present war;
To permit no nation selfish
profit as result of victory over
any other:
To obtain reparation OF Bel
GUMS wrongs:
To insure Belgium and France
against invasion;
To free Austria-Hungary. the
Balkan states. Turkey and it's de-
Tendencies from German domina-
ton;
To liberate the Teutonic peo-
pies from the absolutism of the
militaristic autocracy which has
enslaved them. but without inter-
fering with their internal politics
and without demanding dissolu-
ton of either the German or Aus
tro-Hungarian empire:
To prevent any Of the nations
with which America is allied from
interfering with peaceful enter
prises Of Germany as a mistaken
and selfish means of avenging
the wrongs Germany has done in
the war:
To permit peoples to determine
the form of government under
which they shall live, provided 1t
shall not give a ruler autocratic
power.
Certainly there can be M
criticism OF this catalogue o
objects on the score of indefinite
ness with the possible exception of {
single point That has to do with the
in which the German public
enslaved as it is by the kaiser's mill
tary absolutism, is to give assurance
to the world that its government viii
abide by treaty Of just peace, unles:
one of two things shall have transpir
ed in the meantime. These alterna
tives are:
Either the kaiser must be forced
by the German people to substi-
tute for his autocracy a constitu-
tional government, or
The armies Of the United States
and our allies must administer
military defeat to Germany which
shall give the victors the right to
demand governmental reform In
the empire of the Hohenzollerns
as purging through which the
kaiser must pass before his en-
voys may be admitted to the peace
councils as Germanys represent
atives.
At least the president has silencet
the critics who declared his note il
reply to Pope Benedict demanded add
cation by the kaiser. The demand wa
not made in so many words. and Off
cial denial of any intention to impos
such a condition as requisite t
peace was Forthcoming Immediately
Until yesterday, however. there wa
some groundf or complaint that tn
presidents stand on this point was no
thoroughly clear TO the public.
Now he says in so many words tina
it is not Americas object to upset tn
German empire. At the same time II
demands that whoever shall come t
the peace conference as Germany
representative shall present creder
tials from the people of the empir
rather than from the emperor himself
AS we read the paragraphs dealin
with this topic, the president appeal
to the Germans to demand constit,
tional government and at the sam
time assures them and their monarc
as well that such reform will serv
as a guaranty Of Germany's willin.
ness to abide by international an
moral law in the future.
1t cannot be expected that the me
sage will meet with cordial receptio
in Germany. either at the hands of tn
war lords or the general public. HOY
ever. it cannot but strike Il RESPONSIVE
cord among some classes of Germa
thinkers. 1t should serve as has
for liberal agitation and for deman
by the social democratic leaders fl
governmental reforms which will gi,
their race right to voice in III
councils of nations.
AS the situation is stated by IL
president. Germany cannot hope f
consideration at the hands of 9th,
governments nor other peoples viii
the autocracy remains in unlimite
mower. To be sure. the German vi
tory over the enemies armies, whit
is promised so confidently by Germa
leaders and as confidently expected |
| many German people, would set
naught any decree President Wilst
or the spokesman for any other go
| eminent might promulgate. And
will be only to, thee GerEass WI
consider their natio| military desa