The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-29

| tile combination OF nations against the
German people who are its instruments
and would result in abandoning the new
born Russia 10 the intrigue, the mani
fold subtle interference. and the certain
counter revolution which would be at
tempted by all the malign influences to
which the German government has OF
late accustomed the world. Can peace
be based upon restitution of its power
or upon any word of honor II could
pledge in treaty OF settlement and ac.
commodationl
Responsible statesmen must now ev-
erywhere see. II they never saw before,
that no peace can rest securely upon
political or economic restrictions meant
to benefit some nations and cripple or
embarrass others, upon vindictive ac-
tion of any sort, or any kind of revenge
or deliberate injury. The American peo-
pie have suffered intolerable wrongs at
the hands of the imperial German gov
ernment, but they desire no reprisal
upon the German people, who have them
selves suffered all things in this war,
which they did not choose. They believe
that peace should rest upon the rights OF
peoples, not the rights of governments
the rights of peoples, great or small,
weak or powerful-their equal right 10
freedom and security and self-govern-
ment and to a participation upon fair
terms in the economic opportunities of
the world-the German people, OF course,
included, if they win accept equality and
not seek domination.
"The test, therefore, of every plan of
peace is this Is il based upon the faith |
of all the peoples involved or merely |
upon the word of an ambitious and in
triguing government, on the one hand,
and of group of free peoples on the
otherf This is test which goes to the
root of the matter; and it is the test |
which must be applied
"The purposes of the United States in
this war are known to the whole world
20 every people to whom the truth has
been permitted to come. They do not
need to be, stated again. We seek no ma
erial advantage of any kind. We be-
ieve that the intolerable wrongs done in
his war by the furious and brutal pow
r of the imperial government ought to
,e repaired, but not at the expense of
he sovereignty of any people-rather a
indication of the sovereignty, both of
hose that are weak and those that are
trong. Punitive damages, the dismem
erment of empires, the establishment of
elfish and exclusive economic leagues we
eem inexpedient and in the end worse $
han futile, no proper basis for peace {
( any kind, least of all for an enduring c
eace That must be based upon justice d
nd fairness and the common rights of q
mankind. 4,
"We cannot take the word of the pres
Mt rulers of Germany as a guaranty of \
nything that is TO endure, unless ex
licitly supported by such conclusive evi-
enee of the'will and purpose of the Ger
ian people themselves as the other peo :
les of the world would be justified in e
,cepting. Without such guarantees, II
'eaties of settlement, agreement for dis "
-ma ment, covenants to set up arbitra "
on in the place of force, territorial ad Il
stments, reconstitutions of small ma q
ons, if made with the German govern n
ent, no man, no nation, could now de-
md on. We must await some new evil r,
nee of the purposes of the great peo- .,
es of the central powers. God grant it !,
ay be given soon and in way to re- /;
ore the confidence of all peoples every :.
here in the faith of nations and the g
of a covenanted peace. "a
Robert Lansing,
Secretary of State of the United
ates of America"