Licking Valley courier., 1917-12-13
Presidents Message Declaring
America In War to Finish
Hailed With Joy.
ADDS AUSTRIA TO OUR FOES
Progress Of Russia's Efforts for Ar.
mlstlee-Germans Sacrifice Men
, ReckIessly In Furious Attacks
In France and Italy
American Troops to
Be Rushsd Across. ls
BY EDWARD W. plckARp.S


The United States is In the war to
the rfinish-and that finish must be the
overthrow Of the Prussian military
,despotism, the liberation and restora-
ton of the peoples 1t has enslayed
and reparatiop for the. material dam.
.agel rs ,asnsieB have done. W'ifsn this
is assured, the United States will In
sist on peace that is based on gem
eroslty and justice to all alike, ex-
Guiding all selfish claims to advantage
even on the part Of the vlctors. Mean
while Austria Hungary must he form
ally declared our foe In the war, and
'0urf present and immediate task" Is
to win that war.
Such in few wOrdsis the message
Of President Wilson to congress, to
America, and especially to the world.
He leaves no doubt OF the govern
ment's and the nations humanitarian
aims, and he makes equally plain the
determination never to make peace
with the present. rulers Of Germany
who have done such deep and abOm.
Unable wrong" The president ex-
pressly disavOws any intention to I'm
pair or rearrange the Austro- Hunga-
rlan empire, hut says that to the
Austro-Hungarlans should he restored
Independent control of their own af-
fairs, and avors that the Balkan states
and Turkey should be secured against
foreign oppression or injustice. Mr.
Wilson'S polished dictlon does not con.
ceal his contempt for the paciflsts, the
traitors and others who seek to ham
| per the nation In the prosecution OF
the war. When everyone else within
sound of his voice arose and cheered
the presidents lmpassloned statements
Senator In Toilette, Representative
Mason and one or two more sulked 81
lent In their seats, They are easily
classified.
Message Warmly Approved.
Instant approval Of the message was
general throughout the United States
and 1t received the hearty endorse
ment of the British and South Ameri
can press, though some OF the Londor
papers, notably the Times, are skep
tical about the distinction the presl
dent still makes between the German
rulers and the German people, II mus
be confessed great many Americans
also feel the German people are no
so gulltless as Mr.. Wilson represent
them.
Congress lost little time In Startln!
proceedings for formal declaration o
war against Austro-Hungary, and gov
ernment agents throughout the coun
try at once began preparing to handl
the million and half enemy alien
which II adds to the list. As tens o
thousands of Austro-Hunganans hay
been employed In the mines Of Amer
lea, there Is danger Of a serious short
age of mine labor II Is likely goo
deal Of discrimination will he used |
dealing with such subjects of the dul
monarchy, as the Bohemlans and var
Gus Slavic races, who have no syn
pOthy with the autoeracy OF the
rulers.
!, 6olshevlkl Peace Efforts,
The efforts OF the Russian bolsht
wiki to bring about general cessatio
or fighting was not markedly sucess
{ ful last week, Large numbers OF Ru
I Sian troops were withdrawn from III
T. front npes and Austro. Hungary fo
mally approved Of. the armlstlce plaT
: but when the representatives T,
4 the, Rlissiaus began discussion Of d
I tails with the Germans they met vii
!. a quick check. Their first Two stlpt
!. Nlations were that the enemy shou
/, not undertake TO send forces fro
|. the Russian frontto the front Of Ru
. sias allies, and that the German d
Mchmenis. should be withdrawn fro