Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-01-25
ADDRESS TO SENATE
STIRS NATION AND WORLD
CAUSES MUCH COMMENT.

p Washington, Jan. 22.-Whether the
United States shall enter a world peace
league and, as many contend, thereby
abandon its traditional policy of isola-
ton and no entangling alliances, was
put squarely before congress and the
country today by President Wilson in
personal address to the senate.
For the first time in more than q
hundred years a president of the
United States appeared in the senate
chamber to discuss the nation Is foreign
relations after the manner of Washing
ton, Adams and Madison. The effect
was to leave congress, all official quar-
tiers and the foreign diplomats amazed
and bewildered. Immediately there
arose a sharp division of opinion over
the propriety as well as the substance
of the president IS proposal.
Startling" Staggering CAS-
tounding!' "The noblest utterance
that has fallen from human lips since
the declaration of independence, were
among the expressions of senator's
Members of congress generally do
not regard the PRESIDENT proposal as
calling for any action at this time ana
even senators who did not agree with
the suggestions advanced for world
peace did not question the president s
right to suggest them nor to enter upon
negotiations tending to commit the
United States to such policy.
Republicans such as Senators Lodge
and Borah, who are members of the
foreign relations committee, would not
comment on the message. One of the
republican leaders asserted that the
president had full authority to proceed
along the lines he has suggested; that
there could be no constitutional bar to
his efforts and that such a league for
peace as he proposed would have to be
embodied into treaty. 1t might be
possible for the president at some
future time to negotiate such treaty,
in this senator's opinion, but to get the
senate s ratification of such a conven-
ton was another and far more improb-
able matter.
The Presidents Address.
President Wilson spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the senate: On the
18th of December last ] addressed an
identical note to the governments of
the nations now at war, requesting
them to state more definitely than had
yet been stated by either group of belli-
gerents the terms upon which they
would deem it possible to make peace
| spoke on behalf of humanity and of
the rights of all neutral nations like
our own, many of those most vital in
terests the war puts in constant
jeopardy.
"The central powers united in a re-
ply which stated merely that they were
ready to meet their antagonists in con
ference to dicuss terms of peace.
"The entente powers have replied
much more definitely and have stated,
in general terms indeed, but with suf-
ficient definiteness to imply details,
the arrangements, guarantees and acts
of reparation which they deem to be
the indispensable conditions of a salts
factory settlement.
eve are much nearer a definite dis
cussion of the peace which shall end the
present war. We are that much nearer
the discussion of the international CON
cert which must hereafter hold the
world at peace.
Gin every discussion of peace that
must end this war it is taken for grant
ed that peace must be given by some
definite concert of power which will
make it virtually impossible that any
such catastrophe should ever overwhelm
us again. Every lover of mankind,
every sane and Thoughtful man, must
take that for granted.
cit is inconceivable that the people
of the United States should play no
part in this great enterprise.
"They cannot, in honor, withhold the
service to which they are now about to
be challenged. They do not wish to
withhold it. But they owe it to them
selves and to the other nations of the
world to state the conditions under
which they will feel free to render it.
"That service is nothing less than
this: To add their authority and their
power to the authority and force of
other nations to guarantee peace and
justice throughout the world Such a
settlement cannot now he long post
poned. 1t is right that before it comes
this government should frankly form
ulate the conditions upon which il
would feel Justified in asking our PEG
pie to approve it's formal and solemn
adherence to a league for peace | am
here to attempt to state those condi-
tions.
''The present war must first be end
Il
just regard for the opinion of mankind
to say that, so far as our participation
in guarantees of future peace is con-
cerned it will make a great deal of
difference what way and upon what
terms it is ended.
"The treaties and agreements which
bring it to an end must enbody terms
which will create peace that is worth
guaranteeing and preserving, peace
that will win the APPROVAL o. mankind
not merely peace that will serve the
several interests ana immediate aims of
the nations engaged. We shall have nc
voice in determining what these terms
shall be, but we shall, I feel sure, have
voice in determining whether they
shall be made lasting or not by the
guarantees of a universal covenant and
our judgment upon what is fundamen-
tai and essential as condition prece-