The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-12-14
PRESIDENT WILSON'S LEADER.
SHIP

forceful and powerful or any newspa-
per printed in the English tongue,
whether in this country or Great Brit
ain and her colonies.
This being true, we think it due to
our readers that they should see what
this great newspaper has to say Of
President Wilson's last message, and.
its estiamte of him as leader
1t is one of the Worlds strongest
editorials:
president Wilson's address to con-
gress sounds a clear, ringing note of
leadership to all the nations that are
battling against Prussian autocracy.
1T is both great war message
and a great peace message great
war message in its incorporating
determination that the war must be
won, and a great peace message in its
enlightened statement of the princi-
pies upon which the security of civ
ilization must rest.
THE presidents address is in the
spirit of his war address of April 2,
and of his reply to the Vatican AL
though he sums up the case in some
what different terms, ii is the same
case with the same conclusion.
There can be peace when the
German people have spokesman whose
word we can believe and when these
spokesman are ready in the name of
their people to accept the common
judgment of the nations as to what
shall henceforth be the bases of law
and of covenant for the life of the
world There can be peace when
the German people say to US, through
properly accredited representatives,
that they are ready to agree to a set
tlement based upon justice and the
reparation of the wrongs their rulers
have done Nor does the president
hesitate to be specific in defining some
of the conditions of that settlement.
and it is sufficiently comprehensive to
include "a peace of Justice and gener-
osity' for the German people them
selves when they have given the guar
antees that are required.
For weeks the Bolsheviki who
seized the government at Petrograd.
have been demanding through their
Lenines and Trotzkys re statement
of the aims and objects of the allies.
Last week the Marquis of Lansdowne
joined in this demand So far as the
United States is concerned the pres
ident has answered. and answered
frankly. We may take it for granted
that this answer will receive the same
measure of approval in Great Britain
and France that was accorded to his
reply to the Vatican's peace propos-
ais.
''The matter stands now where it
stood then. There has been no
change. We are dealing with the
same German government. dominated
by the same men and actuated by the
same motives We are seeking per-
manent, not temporary, foundations
for the peace of the world and such
being the case we must push the war
to its righteous conclusion.
Delivered to congress and to the
American people the presidents adj
dress is intended for far wider au-
dience. 1t is spoken directly to the
people OF Great Britain, France, Bel
GUM and Italy. 1t Is spoken emphat-
ically to the Russians, for whom he
has a special message 1t is spoken
as well to the Germans, with whom
we are at war, to all the allies of
Germany and to all the peoples whose
future depends upon the outcome of
this conflict. At all times it is mes
sage of democracy, of justice and of
law, which cannot fail TO exert ire
mendous influence everywhere.
PROFESSIONALLY the president has
voiced the sentiment of the American
people, both in his definition of the
kind Of peace that can be accepted
and in his call for the most vigorous
prosecution Of the war of which the
nation is capable. We believe, as well,
that he has voiced the sentiment of
all the great peoples who are spilling
their blood and treasure in resisting
the domination of the most ruthless
military autocracy known to modern
history. In him the democracies of
the world have found leader whose
eyes look steadily AMI nfiinchingly
toward the light"
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