Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

is all that the most ardent
once an admirably and forcefully
worded expression of the ideals and
objects which are the goal of the
United States in this war and a
scathing indictment of the brutality
and criminality of the Prussian
autocracy, whose unspeakable crimes
against humanity brought us into
the conflict and from which we can
withdraw only with the destruction
of those forces of evil
Victory is the attainment upon
which the President has. set his
heart, but not victory with venge-
ance. Justice, both for our allies and
our enemies, is part and parcel of
his program, and peace, with the Ger
man people suing for it and ready to
forego their world ambitions and
make reparation for their wrongs,
may be had as soon as Germans are
convinced that they have been Woe
fully misled and are willing to set
aside their false gods. The crude
policy of peace without annexations
or indemnities, the President very
properly says. contains a great truth,
but should not be taken to mean
1bara shall no No reDa ration Tndaed
as the President holds, it would be
unjust if the German people
should not pay for their frightful-
ness i'm Belgium, Serbia and else
where, and it is here that the great
est obstacle to peace arises, although
Germany in the end-even though of
unbroken spirit and contrite heart
may decide that 1t is cheaper to meet
the ever-growing demands of the
Allies than to continue the war to the
utter ruin of themselves.
The Presidents belief in an imme-
diate declaration of war against
Austria will meet with the approval
of the American people. We have
been at war with the dual empire in
everything but name ever since we
went to war with Germany. Austria
is so completely under the thumb of
Germany that the two are for the
purposes of war inseparable But
with Bulgaria and Turkey, for ex-
ample, the case may be different.
There is every indication that Turkey
is tired of German domination. Bull
garia is an old offender, also, but no
doubt would get out of the conflict
If the way presented itself without
the necessity of getting in the way
of the German road-roller. Whether
or not anything is to be gained by
letting their cases remain in status
quo while including Austria among
our open enemies, is a matter that
Congress should, and no doubt will,
consider at length in connection with
the proposed Austrian resolution.
The message may have been dis
appointing to those who expected
that the President would discuss at
some length the war in its particular
phases and such relative subjects rs
food supply and government owner
ship of railroads, but he evidently
believed it wise to devote his entire
message to war aims, in order that
the force of his views might not be
minimized and that it might be quot
ed abroad with as clear an under
standing of it's full text as at home.
Certainly nobody, alien or friend,
can misunderstood the objects and
purposes of the United States in tho
war after carefully studying it. 1t
should be gotten into Germany and
Austria by all means. 1t is q great
missionary paper in the cause of
world democracy.
The President has interpreted the
thought of the American people to
the letter. They want neither terri
tory nor indemnity. They are willing
to pour out their blood and treasure
to insure the world against q repoti-
ton of the German horror. They
want simply justice, no more, no less,
for all peoples. They come before the
nations as the militant apostles of
the square deaP and the President
has spoken their thoughts in Ian