Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
CONTINUED from Page 81

0nu AZ lNhhl smut out IIOm the IIltnu'
ly intercourse Of the nations, and sec
ond, that when this thing and III
power are indeed defeated and the
time comes that we can discuss
peace, when the German people have
spokesman whose word we can be-
lleye and when those spokesman are
ready in the name Of their people Ia
accept the common Judgment Of the
nations as to what shall henoeforth
be the bases OF law and Of covenant
for the life Of the world we shall be
willing and glad TO pay the full price
for peace and pay It ungrudslngly'
Wants No VlndletlVe End
We know what that price will bO
II will be full impartial justlce--jus'
tIce done at every point and 10 every
nation that the final settlement must
aneCt our enemies as well as our
friends
You catch, with me, the voices OF
humanity that are In the air Thoy
grow daily more audible, more arJicu'
late. more persuasive, and they como
from the hearts OF men everywhere,
They Insist that the war shall not end
In yindictiye action OF any kind, that
no nation or people shall be robbed
or punished because the irresponsible
rulers OF a single country have them
selves done deep and abominablO
wrong
1t Ia this thought that has been oI'
pressed In the formula, mo annexa'
lions, no contributions, no punitive
indemnltles" Just because this crude
formula expresses the instructive
judgment as to right OF plain mon
everywhere 1t has been made diligent
use OF by the masters OF German in
trigue 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
he brought about before autocracy has
been taught it's final and convincing
lesson and the people Of the "orld
put in control OF their own destinies.
But the fact that W.o:a use s2s
been made OF a Just idea Is no reason
why a right use should not be made
OF II. II ought to be brought under
the patronage OF its real friends.
Show Autocracy Its Futllity.
Let II be said again that autocracy
must first be shown the utter futillty
of It's claims to power or leadership
in the modern world" II Is impossi'
BILE TO apply any standard Of justice
so long as such forces are unchecked
and indicated as the present mas
ters of Germany command Not until
that has been done can right be set
up as arbiter and peacemaker among
the nations
But when that has been done, as,
God willing, II assuredly will be, we
shall at least he free TO do an IN
precedented thing, and this is the
time TO ayow our purpose TO do it.
We shall be free TO base peace on gen
crosby and justice, to the exclusion
Of all selfish claims to advantage, ever
on the part of the yictors
One very EN- 6arrasslng oDstacie tnat
stands in our way is that we are at
war with Germany, but not with her
allies therefore very earnestly rec
ommend that the Congress immediate
ly declare the United States in state
OF war with Austria Hungary
Does 1t seem strange to you that
this should be the conclusion OF the
argument | have just addressed to
you? 1t is not 1t is, in fact, the in
evitable logic OF what | have said
Austria. hungary is for the time being
not her own mistress, but simply the
vassal OF the German government.
We must face tho facts as they are
and act upon them without sentiment
in this stern business. The govern
ment OF Austria, Hungary Is not acting
upon its own initiative or In response
TO the wishes and feelings OF Its own
peoples, but as the instrument OF an
other nation We must meet Its force
with our own and regard the Central
powers as but one.
The war can be successfully con-
Quoted in no other way, The same
logic would lead also to a declaration
of war against Turkey and Bulgaria
They also are the tools Of Germany
But they are mere tools and do not
yet stand in the direct path OF our
necessary action. We shall go where
ever the necessities OF this war carry
us, but II seems to me that we should
go only where immediate and practi'
cal considerations lead us and not heed
any others
The financial and military measures
which must be adopted will suggest
themselves as the war and its under
takings develop, but | will take the
liberty of proposing to you certain
other acts of legislation which seem
to me to be needed for the support Of
the war and for the release Of our
whole force and energy
Alien Enemy Legislation.
It will be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation Of