The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-04

pIaln to them what our obJectlves are |
and what we are planning for III seek
ing to make conquest of peace by arms |
] believe that / speak for them when |
say two things:
First, that this intolerablc 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 clearly as the Germany pow
era thing without conscience or hon
or or capacity for covenanted peace
must be crushed and ii it he not utterly
brought to an end, at least shut out
from the friendly intercourse OF nations
Second, that when this thing and its
power are indeed defeated and the time
comes that we can discuss peace-when
the German people have Spokesman
whose word we can believe and when
those spokcsmcn are ready in the name
of their people to accept the common
! Judgment of the nations as TO what shall
! henceforth he the basis OF law and of
Icovcnaut for the life OF the world-wc
shall bc willing and glad to pay the fun
lprice for peace and pay il ungrudgingly
We know what that peace will be. Il
lwlll be full impartial iusticc-iustice
done at every point and to every na
ti0u that the final settlement must af
feet, cur enemy as we'll as our friends.
Yen catch with me the voices OF hu-
manitv that are in the air. They grow
daily more audible. more articulate.
lmere persuasive and they come from
tho hearts of men everywhere. They
insist that the war shall not end in
vmdictiyc action of any kind, vet no
nations or peoples shall be robbed or
punished because the irresponsible rul
crs ot single country have themselves
done deep and abominablc wrong. It
is this thought that has been expressed
in the formula "Ho annexation, no
retrbution, no punitive indrmnities.
Just because this crude formula cX
Ipresscd the indictiye Judgment as To
right of plain mon everywhere il has
been made dcigent use Of by the mas
ters of German intrigue 10 lead the pco-
Iple OF Russia astrav-aud the people ot
every other country their agents could
reacA--in order that premature peace
might be brought about before autocra.
~ has been fought its final and con
viueing lesson aud the people of the
world put in control Of their own desti
+ mics, hut the fact that a wrong use has
been made Of q Just idea is no reason
: why a right use should not be made Of
patronage of is real friends.
Let il be said again that autocracy
= must first be shown the utter futility ot
its claims 10 power and leadership ii
the modern world. 1t is impossible t.
Iapplr any standard of justice SO long
= rs such forces are unchecked and IN
3 defeated as the present masters of Ger
= many command. Not until that ha'
been done can right be set up as az
+. bitter and pcaeemakcr among the Ia
- tions.
- But when this has been done-a Go,
: willing il assurcdlv will be-we shal
= at last bc free to do an unpreccdentet
+, thing and this is the time to ayow on
il, purpose TO do it. We shall be free Il
j, base peace on gcnerosities and iustic
to the exclusion Of ali selfish claims t
- advantage even on the part OF the vie
~ tors.
! Let there be 40 misunderstanding
Our recent and immediate taks j. !
win the war and nothing shall turn L
- aside from it until it is accomplished
'' Every power and resource We posses
= whether OF men, money or material
"a being devoted and will continue TO b
devoted to that purpose until II
/ lachieyed. Those who desire TO brin
n peace about before that purpose
N, achieved | counsel to carry their adyit
at elsewhere. We will not entertain i
ut We shall regard The war only - We
"f when the German people say to u
through properly accredited represent
7e tives, that they are ready 10 agree
r. a settlement based upon Justice and ii
O. repuration of the wrong their rule
have done.
ne. They have done wrong to b,
u[ eium. which must be repaired. Tht
"g have established Il power over 9th
=. lands and people than their own-oy
'9,l the great empire OF Austria Hungar
- over hitherto free Balkan states, ov
- Turkey and within Asia-Which mu
hc relinquishcd. German success
s@ skill, by industry, by knowledge,
enterprise We did not grudge or O
! nose, but admired rather. She HI
I built up for herself real empire
\ trad and influence secured by {
B peace OF the world. Ne were conte
\ TO abide the rivalries Of manutaetu
science and commerce that were
Z VOWED for us i'll her success and sta
or fall as we had or did not have t
brain and initiative to support h.
But at the moment when She had &C
'picuously won her triumphs OF rca
she threw them away to establish
their stead what the world will not p
nit to bc established military n
\ political domination by arms by viii
to oust whore she could not exc,
rivals she most feared and hated
The peace we make must rene
thi, wrong. 1t must deliver the OF
fair land and happy peoples of Belgi
and Northern France from the Pr
sian conquest aud the Purssi
menace, but il must also deli,
the people Of Austria Hungary,
\ people OF the Balkans and the peo
of Turl:ey, alike in Europe aud
Asia. from the impudent and al
domination OF the Prussian milit
and commercial autocracy.
We owe it, however, to ourselves
say that we do not wish in any wav
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