Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-09-07
WILSON REPLIES TO PEACE PROPOSALS
RECENTLY MADE B, POPE BENEDICT Xl
Tells His Holiness Peace Can Not Be Considered Long
as Kaisersm Rules German People-Leaves Way
Open for Further Discussion
WORLD KNOWS PURPOSES OF THE UNITED STATES

late accustomed Che world. Canspeaee
be based upon restitution Of ITS pow
or or upon any word Of honor II could
pledge IN a treaty al settlements and
accommodate
Responsible statesmen must nov
everywhere see. II they nsver saw be-
fore, that no peace can rest securely
upon political o. economic restrictions
meant to benefit some nations and
cripple or embarrass Others upon vim
dIctlye action Of any sort, or any kind
OF revenge or deliberate injury. The
American people have suffered 41tOk
cradle wrongs at the hands OF the
imperial German government, put they
desire no repr4sal upon the German
people, who have themselves suffered
an things IN this way, which they did
not choose. They believe that peace
should rest upon chs rights Of peoples,
not the rights Of governments-the
rights Of peopleS great on small, weak
or powerful-their equal right 10 free
dom and security and self-gUVernment
and to participation upon fair terms
IN the economic opportunities Of the
world 1erman people Of course,
Included, n they VII accept equality
ana not seek domination
'The test, thssefofA OF every plan
Of peace h this. Is It based upon the
faith of ell the peoples involved or
merely upon tho word Of an ambitious
and intriguing government, on the-one
hand, ana Of group OF free peoples on
the other? This is q test which gees
10 the root of the matter: and 1t is thu
test which must be applied.
way Open Fer Peace-
"The purposes OF the United States
IN this war are known to the whole
wurlG-to every people to whom the
truth has been permitted 20 come.
They do not need to be stated again.
We seek no material advantage OF any
KIND. We believe that the meolerabla
wrongs done in this war by The furi'
Gus and brutal power OF the imperial
German government ought TO be re.
paired, hut not at the expense Of the
sovereignty Of any peopie-rather a
vin6ication Of the sovereignty, both OF
those that are weak and OF those that
are strong. Punitive damages. the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of empires, the estab-
lishment of selfish and exclusive eco.
nomic leagues We deem inexpedient
and IN the end worse than futile. no
proper basis for peace of any kind,
least Of all for an enduring peace. That
must be based upon justice and fair
ness and the common rights Of man.
kind.
1--WE cannot take the word of the
present rulers Of Germany as q guar,
antee Of anything that is to endure,
unless explicitly supported by such
conclusive evidence OF the will and
purpose Of the German people them
selves as the other peoples Of the
world would be justified in accepting.
Without such guarantees, treaties Of
settlement. agreements for disarna-
ment, covenants to set up arbitration
IN the peace Of force. territorial adjust
ments, reconstruction of small nations,
II made with the German government,
no man, no nation could now depend
on. We must await some new evt
dence Of the purposes OF the great
peoples Of the central powers. God
grant 1t may be given soon and in q
way to restore confidence of all PEG.
pies everywhere in the faith of nations
and the possibility of q covenanted
peace.
(signed) ROBERT LANSING,
Secretary OF State Of the United
States"