Iditarod pioneer., 1917-03-10
PRESIDENTS GREAT SPEECH
 ON PEACE ENFORCEMENT
 DELIVERED BEFORE SENATE

appeared before the United States senate and delivered his uGh-commeDted-up upon speech
 in behalf of league to enforce world peace.
 The following is the full text of that speech,
 which has been varously commented upon
 by public men as one of the most important
 utterances ever delivered by an American
 statesman:
 Gentlemen of the senate: on the 18th of December last I addressed an identical note to the governments of the nations now at war requesting them to state more deli nitply than had yet been stated by either group of beiligcrcnts the terms upon winch they would deem 1t possible to make peace spoke on behalf of humanity and Of the rights of all neutral nations like our own, many of whose most vital interests the war puts in constant jeopardy.
 The central powers united m d ftply which stated merely that they were ready to meet their antagonists in conference to I discuss terms of peace.
 The entente powers have replied mufh more definitely and have stated ln general 1 terms, indeed, but with sufficient definite ness to imply details, the arrangeInents s guarantees and acts of replratlon when they deem to be the indispensable condi- | lions of satisfactory settlement.
 We are that much nearer dellnte discussion of the peace which shall end the present war. We are that much nearer
 the discussion of the mtFrnatlonll concert | which must thereafter hold the world al peace. In every discussion Of the peace that must end this war it is taken for granted that that peace must be given some | definite concert Of power when Will fiiahc l it virtually impossible that any such cataS- | trOphp should ever OVerWhem us again. Every lover of mankind, every sane and 1 thoughtful man, must take that for granted To Lay the Foundations Of Peace l have sought this opportunity to au .
 dress you because you thought that owed | it to you, as the council associated Witn 1 me in the fnal determination of our inter- national obligations to disclose to you, without reserve the thought and purpose 1 that have been taking form Tn my ihIhd Ill | regard to the duty of our government m | these days to come. when it will be neceS- sary to lay afPtSh and upon new plan the | foundations of peace among the nations. | It is inCOnCeiVable that the people Of the | United States should play no part in that 1 great enterprise. To take part in such q service Will be the opportunity Tor Wnlcn 1 they have sought 10 prepare themselves by 1 the very principles and purposes or thflf 1 policy and the approved practices or thelr 1 government ever since the days when they ! set up a new nation in the high and honor | able hope that Il might in all that it was and did show mankind tn" way To liberty. 1 They can not, in honor, withhold the sefV- l ice for which they are now about 10 pc 1 challenged. They do not wish to Wlthilold l it. But they owe it to themselves ana to | inc other nations of the world 10 state the
 conditions under which they will feel free l 10 render IL.
 League to Guarantee Future Peace 1 That service is nothing less than thlS-
 10 add their authority and their power 10 1 the authority and force of other nations 10 | guarantee peace and justice throughout the world such a settlement cannot now be 1 long postponed It Is right that Defore It | comes this government should frankly for ' InU;atc the conditions upon which 1t WUuIG l rat i1IS prove Its formal and solemn adherence t" l a league for peace. am here to attempt 1 to state these conditions.
 The present war must first be ended; 1 but wC owe 1t to candor and t0 Just re-
 gard for the opinion of mankind to say that, i so far as our participation in guarantees of future peace Is concerned, II makes a 1 great deal of difference in what WAY and ! upon what terms it is ended. The treaties
 and agrpCmrntS which bring if to an end must cmhodv terms which will create q l peace that is worth guaranteeing and pre- 1 serving. a peace that Will win i'll" apnFtNal ! of mankind; not merely peace that will
 serve the several interests and immediate aims cr the nations engaged. We shall 1 have no voice in determining what those
 terms shall be, h'It we shall, feel sure.
 have voice in determining whether they | shall be made lasting or not by the guar ! antccS of universal covenant. and nnr 1 judgment upon what is fundamental and 1 essential a| 2 condition precedent to per manrnCN should be spoken now, not altef- ! ward, when it may be too late.
 Must incorporate American Ideals l No covenant Ur Cu-cPeIativr peace that 1 does not include the peoples OI tlIe new world can suffice to keep the future safe
 agamst war, and yet there IS only one sort 1 Of peace that the peoples or Mlerlca could i jOln ill guaranteeing.
 | The elements of that peace must De elc- mcntS that engage the confidence and sat | isfy the prncIpIes of the American govern | Inent, elements consistent with ulelF p0hu- . cal faith and the political convictions WillN Il ! the people of America have once for all 1 embraced and undertaken To defend. 1 do not mean to say that any Amerlcan | government would throw any obstacle ln ! the way of any terms of peace the govern
 mcnts now at war might agree upon or seek | to upset them when made, whatever 1ney
 might be 1 only take it for granted that mere terms of peace between the belHger- 1 tentS will not satisfy even the bellgerents 1 themselves. Mere agreements may not make peace sure It will be absolutely nee essary that force be created as guar antor of the prrmanenCy of the force of 1 any nation now engaged or any alliance
 hitherto formed or projected that no na- 1 tiOn no probable combination of nations,
 could face or withstand it. If the peace i presently to be made is to endure It must 1 be peace made secure by the organized 1 forces of mankind. The terms of the i'm | mediate peace agreed upon will determine l whether there is peace where such guar l antpPS can be secured. The question upon which the whole future peace and policy of
 the world depends is this:
 What Are They Fighting About? Is the present War otlubsIC Tor d Just
 and secure peace or only for new bdlance | Of power? Ii It be only struggle for a l new balance Of power, who Will guarantee, 1 who can guarantee, the stable cquilIDrlum | Of the neN, arrangement? only tranquil 1 Europe can be d stable Europe. There must
 Ur, not balance of power, but con-
 munlly of power, not organized rlNalrles, | but all organized common peace.
 i Fortunately, we have received very eX- pIicit assurances on this point. The states
 men or both of the groups of nations no" l arrayed against one another have sad, ln 1 terms that could not be miSlnterpreted,
 that it was no part Of the purpose they had ill mind to crush their antagonists. But | the implication of these assurances may
 not be the same on both sides of the water. 1 think it will be sCryiceaDle if 1 attempt
 to set forth what we understand them to be. i eeaoo Founded Upon Equality
 | They imply first of all that it must be peace without victory. It is not pleasant 1 to say this. l beg that may be permitted