The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-12

ments destined to insure an enduring
peace presupposes a satisfactory set
! Element of the actual conflict. The
Allies have as profound a desire as
| the government Of the United States
| to terminate as soon as possible a war
| for which the Central Empires ars re-
| sponsible and which inf1icts such cruel
sufferings upon humanity. But they
| believe that it is iml Cssible at the
| present moment to attain a peace
which will assure them reparation,
| restitution and sch guarantees to
| which they are entitled by the aggres-
| sion for which the responsibility rests
| with the Central Powers and of which
! the principle itself tended to ruin the
security Of Europe peace which
would on the other hand permit the
establishment Of the future Of Euro
pean nations on solid basis. The
allied nations are conscious that they
| are not fighting for selfish interests,
but above all to safeguard the indie
pendence of peoples, Of right and of
humanity.
1.-The Allies are fully aware of the
losses and suffering which the war
causes to neutrals as we'll as to bellig-
erents and they deplore them, but they
do not hold themselves responsible for
them, having in no way either willed
or provoked this war, and they strive
to reduce these damages in the meas
IRE compatible with the inexorable
exigencies of their defence against
the violence and the wiles Of the
enemy.
Accepts American Declaration.
cit is with satisfaction, therefore,
that they take note Of the declaration
that the American communication is
in no wise associated in it's origin
with that of the Central Powers trans
mitted on December 18 by. the. gov
eminent Of the United States. They
did not doubt, moreover, the resolu-
ton Of that government to avoid even
the appearance Of a support, even
moral, of the authors responsible for
the war.
.'The allied governments believe
that they must protest in the most
friendly but in the most specific man
ner against the assimilation establish
ed in the American note between the
two groups of belligerents. This as
sanitation, based upon public declara-
tons by the Central Powers, is in
direct opposition to the evidence, both
as regards responsibility for the past
and as concerr> guarantees for the
future; President Wilson in mention
ing it certainly had no intention of
associating' himself with it.
eff there is historical fact estab-
lished at the present date it is the
wilful aggression of Germany and
Austria-TIungary to- insure their
hegemony over Europe and their eco
nomic domination over the world.
Germany proved by her declaration
of war, by the immediate violation OF
Belgium and LuxembUr and by her
manner of conducting the war, her
Stimulating contempt for all princi-
pies of humanity and all respect for
small States; as the conflict developed
the attitude of the Central Powers
and their allies has been continual
defiance of humanity and civilization. |
Horrors of Teuton Invasions.
us it necessary to recall the hor-
rors which accompanied the invasion
Of Belgium and of Serbia, the afro
cious regime imposed upon the invad-
ed countries, the massacre of hum
dreds of thousands of inoffensive Ar
menians, the barbarities perpetrated |
against the populations of Syria, the |
raids of Zeppelins on open towns, the i
destruction by submarines of passen-
ger steamers and of merchantmen
even under neutral flags, the cruel
treatment inflicted upon prisoners of |
war, the juridicial murder Of Miss |
Cavell, of Captain Fryatt, the depor-
tation and the reduction to slavery OF |
civil populations, &C.? The execution |
of such q series Of crimes perpetuated
without any regard for universal rep |!
rotation fully explains to President
Wilson the protest of the Allies
''They consider that the note which |
they sent to the United States in re- |
ply to the German note will be a re-
Spouse to the questions put by the |
American government and according /
to the exact words of the latter, con- |
stitute a public declaration as TO the |
conditions upon which the war could |
be terminated.
president Wilson desires more. |
He desires that the belligerent powers !
openly affirm the objects which they |
seek by continuing the war. The AL
lies experience no difficulty in reply |
ing to this request. Their objects in !
the war are we'll known. They have |
been formulated on many occasions
by the cn1efS or their divers govern
nents. Their objects in the war will
not be made known in detail with all
the equitable conpensations and in
IDENTITIES for DANA ges suffered until
the hour of negotiations.
The Allies asic Peace Conditions.
But the civilized world knows that
they imply in all necessity and in
the first instance the restoration of |
Belgium, Of Serbia and of Montene-
gro and the indemnities which are due
them.
''The evacuation of the invaded ter
ritories of France, of Russia and Of |
Rumanfa, with just reparation. i
THE reorganization of Europe guar
anteed by stable regime and found
ed as much upon respect Of national
tiles and full security and liberty (of) |
economic development, which all ma
tons. great or small. possess, as upon
territorial and maritime frontiers
against unjustified attacks.
"The restitution of provinces or ter
ritories wrested in the past from the
Allies by force or against the will of |
their populations.
THE liberation of Italians, of Slavs
OF Rumanians and of Tcheco-Slo-
vaques from foreign domination
|