The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-05
IMMEDIATE DECLARATION OF WAR ON
AUSTRIA RECOMMENDED BY PRESIDENT
II Ringing Terms Mr.. Wilson Says Nothing Shall
Turn United States Aside Until War Is Won
and German Autocracy Crushed

4 a I1RnI
! whether their purpose is ours.
They desire peace by tho overcom-
i Ing OF evil. by the defeat once for ali
OF the sinister forces that interrup,
peace and render 1t impossible. and
they wish to know how closely our
thought runs with theirs and what
action we propose.
They are impatient with those who
desire peace by any sort OF compro-
mise-deeply and Indignantly impa-
tient-but they will be equally impa-
ttent with us il we do not make it
plain to them what our objectives are
and what we are planning for in seek
ing to make conquest of peace by arms.
I believe that speak for them
when say two things: First, that this
, intolerable Thing of which the masters
OF Germany have shown us the ugly
face, this menace of combined intrigue
and force. which we now see SO clear
ly as the German power; q Thing
without conscience or honor or capac-
ity for covenanted peace. must be
crushed. and. IL 1t be not utterly
brought to an end, at least shut out
from the friendly intercourse OF the
nations; and, second, that when this
Thing and it's power are indeed de-
feated and the time comes that we
can discuss peace-when the German
people have spokesmen whose word
We can believe, and when those spokes-
men are ready in the name of their
people to accept the common Judgment
OF the nations as to what shall hence
forth be the bases Of law and Of cove
nant for the life of the world-we shall
be willing and glad to pay the full
price for peace. and pay it ungrudg-
ingly. We know what that price will
be. 1t will be full, impartial Justice
justice done at every point and to ev-
cry nation that the final settlement
must affect our enemies as well as our
friends.
You catch. with me, the voices OF
humanity that are in the air. They
grow daily more audible, more articu-
late. more persuasive. and they come
from the hearts of men everywhere.
They insist that the war shall not end
in indicative action OF any kind; that
no nation or people shall be robbed or
punished because the irresponsible
rulers Of q single country haxethem-
selves done deep and ab6mfna BILE
wrong. It is this thought that has
been expressed In the formula mo an
nexations, no contributions, no punt
tive indemnities.' Just because this
crude formula expresses the instructive
judgment as to right of plain men ev-
erywhere has been made diligent use
OF by the masters OF German intrigue
to lead the people of Russia astray-
and the people of every other country
their agents could reach. in order that
a premature peace might be brought
about before autocracy has been
taught its final and convincing lesson,
hn nf he mt in,
control Of their own destinies.
"But the fact that a wrong use has
been made of just idea is no reason
why a right use should not be made
of it, 1t ought to be brought under
the patronage Of its real friends.
Let it be said again that autocracy
must first be shown the utter futility
of it's claims to power or leadership in
the modern world. It Is impossible to
apply any standard OF justice SO long
as such forces are unchecked and un-|
defeated as the present masters of
Germany command. Not until that
has been done can right be set up as
arbiter and peace-maker among the
nations Bat when that has been done
las, God willing. it assuredly will be
we shall at last be free to do an
unprecedented thing, and this Is the
time to avow our purpose to do It.
We shall be free to base peace on gen.
erosity and justice, to the exclusion OF
all selfish claims to advantage even on
the part OF, the victors.
Task ls to Win War.
Let there be no misunderstanding.
Our present and immediate task is to
win the war. and nothing shall turn us
aside from it until it is accomplished.
Every power and resource We possess,
whether Of men, of money. or OF ma
terials. is being devoted and Will con-
tinue to be devoted to that purpose,
until it is achieved. Those who de-
sire to bring peace about before that
purpose is achieved I counsel to car
ry their advice elsewhere. We Will
not entertain it. We shall regard the
war as won only when the German
people say to US. through properly ac-
credited representatives. that they are
ready to agree to a settlement based
upon justice and the reparation OF
the wrongs their rulers have done
They have done a wrong to Belgium
which must be repaired. They have
established q power over other lands
and peoples than their own-over the
great empire of Austria over
hitherto free Balkan states. over Tur-
KEY. and within Asia-which must be
relinquished.
aGermany's success by skill, by in
dustry. by knowledge by enterprise
we did not grudge or oppose. but ad-
mired. rather. She had built up for
herself q real empire Of trade and IN
fiuence, secured bHvzfhe peace OF the
world. We were o$ ent abide tne
rivalries Of manu1 xy& science, ana
commerce that We Tor US In
her success and 80 cs 6s1l as we
had or did not havl brasE5 ana the
initiative to surpa aszlt at the