Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-04

/ II must denver the on 'r Nr '.'f.s
Iauy happy peoples of Belgium 11I
Northern France from The ru n
conquest and the Prusstlu mon =
but it also must deliver thn poor s
VI AustrialIungary The pclpl , ~
The Balkans and the peoples OI Tar
key alike in Europe and in Asia from
the impudcnt and alien dominion OF
the Prussian military and CONNER.
eial autOCracy We owe ii. however.
10 ourselves, 10 say that we do not
wish to impair or to re-arrange the
Austria-lungarian empire. 1t is no
affair of ours what they do with their
own lives, either industrially or po-
litically. We do not propose or de
sire to dictate TO them in any way
We only desire that their affairs are
left in their own hands. in all mat.
terS great or small We shall hope To
secure for the peoples of the Balkans
and for the people of The Turkish en-
pirc the right and the opportunity to
make their own lives safe. against
oppression or injustice and from the
lictation Of foreign court or parties
And our attitude and purpose with
regard to Germany herself are the
like kind We intend no wrong
against the German people no inter
ference with her internal affairs We
should deem either the one or the
other absolutely unjustihahle. abso-
utely contrary to the principles we
have profesSed 10 live by and to
hold most sacred throughout our life
as a nation
The people OF Germany are being
told by the men who they now per
nit to deceive them and to act as
their masters that they are fighting
for the very life and existence OF
heir empire. war OF desperate self
lelense against deliberate aggression
Nothing could be more grossly or
vantonly false and we must seek by
he utmost 0penneSs and candor as
% our real aims 10 convince them
VI its falsenesS. We are in fact
lighting for their emancipation from
fear, along with our own--from the
fear as well as from The fact of an.
Just attacks by neighbors or rivals or
Schemers after world empire No one
IS settling the existence or the indie.
Dendence or the peaceful enterprise
If the German empire.
The worst that can happen to the
detriment OF the German people is
his, that if they should still, after
he war is over. continue TO be obli
gated to live under ambitious and in
.riguing masters interested to disturb
The peace of the world. men or
classes of men. whom the other peo-
DleS of the world could not trust, II
must be impossible to admit them to
The partnership Of nations which must
hcnccforth guaranty the world S
peace
That partnership must be a part
nership of peoples, not mere part
ncrship Of governments II must he
impossible in such untOWard circum-
stances 10 admit Germany to The free
economic intercourse which must in.
'vitably spring ont Of the other part.
lcrship of real peace. But there
will be no aggression in that and
such situation, inevitable because
If distrust. would in the very nature
If, things sooner or later cure itself
by processes which would assurcdly
set in
The wrongs. the very deep wrongs,
committed in this war, will have to be
rightcd. That Of course But they
cannot and must not be rightod by
| the commission Of similar wrongs
, against Germany and her allies.
The world will not permit the com
/ mission Of similar wrong as a means
/ If PREPARATION and settlement. States
| non must by this time have learned
hat the opinion Of the world has
| very where been wide awake and
! ully cOmprchcnds he issues involved
/ No representative Of any sclfgoy
'rnCd nation viii dare to, disregard
t by attempting any such covenants
Of selishness and compromises as
we're entered into the congress OF
! Vienna. The thought of the people OF
mere and everywhere turnout the
world the people who enjoy the priv
/ eledge and have very simple and un.
sophisticated standards of right and
wrong Is the air all governments
must hencetorth breathe If they would
| live. 1t is in the full disclosing light
OF that thought that all policies must
| ne conceived and executed in this
midday hour OF the worlds life. Ger,
man rulers have been able TO accept
the peace of the world only because
! the German people were not suffered
under their tutelagc to serve conrad
/ ship Of the other peoples of the world
either in fact or in purpose They
were allowed to have no opinions OF
their own which might be set UP as
a rule Of conduct for those who exor.
else their policies over them,
But the congress than concludes