The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-06-10
Statu Quo Ante Was What
Caused War in First
Place, He Declares.
INDEMNITIES FOR
MANIFEST WRONGS
Wilson Urges Brotherhood
on Russia-America Has
No Selfish Aims.
By ASSOCIATED PRESS.


Washington, June 9.-President
Wilson, in a communication to the new
government of Russia has made plain
the war aims of the United States
and its position on mo annexations;
no indemnities."
mo territory must change hands,
except for the purpose of securing
those who inhabit it a fair chance of
life. and liberty" says the commune
cation.
"No indemnities must be insisted on
except those that constitute payment
for manifest wrongs done.
mo readjustments of power must
be made except such as will tend to
secure the future peace of the world
and the future welfare and happiness
of its people"
In unmistakable terms, President
Wilson declares against Gernany's
proposal to restore the "status quo"
before the war.
Status Quo Ante Rejected.
att was the status QUO ante out of
which this ubiquitous war issued
forth" he says, "the power of the
imperial German government within
the empire and its widespread domi-
nation and influence outside Os that
empire.
"That status must be altered in
such fashion as to prevent any such
hideous thing from ever happening
again"
The presidents communication was
delivered to the Russian government
by Ambassador Francis, at Petrograd.
In full, it is as follows:
''In view of the approaching visit
OF the American delegation to Russia
to express the deep friendship of the
American people for the people of
Russia and to discuss the best and
most practical means of cooperation
between the two peoples in carrying
the present struggle for the freedom
of all peoples to a successful con-
summation, it seem Opportune and APP
propriate that should state again, in
the light of this new partnership, the
objects the United States has had in
mind in entering the war. Those OBJ
jects have been very much beclouded
during the past few weeks by mistaE4
en- and misleading statements and
the issues at stake are too momentous,
too tremendous, too significant for the
interpretations or misunderstanding
however slight, to remain unCorreCted
for a moment.
Germany Desperate.
"The war has begun to go against
Germany and in their desperate de-
sire to escape the inevitable ultimate
defeat those who are in authority in
Germany are using every possible in
fol
the influence of groups and parties
among those own subjects to whom
they have never been Just or fair,
or even tolerant, to promote a propa-
ganda on both sides of the sea which
will preserve for them their influence
at home and their power abroad, to
the undoing of the very men they are
using.
THE position of America in this
war is so clearly avowed that no man
can be excused for mistaking it. She
seeks no material profit or aggran-
diZement of any kind. She is fighting
for no advantage or selfish object
of her own, but for the liberation of
peoples everywhere from the aggres-
sions of autOcratic force. The ruling
classes In Germany have begun ,of
late to profess a like hberalitv and
justice of purpose, but only to pre-.
serve the power they have set up in
Germany and the selfish advantages
which they have wrongly gained for
themselves and their private projects
OF power all the way from Berlin to
Bagdad and beyond. Government after
government have, by their influence,
without open conquest of its territory,
been linked together in a net of in
trlgue directed against nothing less
than the peace and liberty of the
world. The meshes of that intrigue
must be broken, but cannot be broken
unless wrongs already done are IN.
done; and adequate measures must he
taken to prevent it from ever again
being rewOven or repaired.
"Of course, the imperial German
government and those whom it is rs
ing for their own undoing are seeking
to obtain pledges that the war will
end in the restoration of the status
QUO ante. 1t was the status quo ante
out of which the Ubiquitous war issued
forth, the power of the imperial Ger
man government within the empire
and its widespread domination and in
fluence outside of that empire. That
status must be altered in such fashion
as to prevent any such hideous thing
from ever happening again.
For Liberty of All Men.
eve are fighting for the liberty
the self government and the undictat-