Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-22
Continued from Page Ono


The President explained his course by
declaring that it was "inconCeivable' that
this Government should play no part I'm
the great enterprise" OF peace owing,
he said TO the fact that this Government
did not wish TO withhold It's services h'
felt the people Of the United STATE" w2r"
called upon "to state the CoulD tons under
which they feel free to render IT,
STARTLING PROPOSAL
And in closing his address, the president
said.
81 arn proposing, MS It were, that the ma
tionS should with one accord ndopt the doc-
trine Uf President Monroe as the doctrine
Of the world TINT no nation should seek
to extend it, polity over any other nation
or people, but that every people should be
left free to determine its own polity, It's
own way Of development. unhindered, un-
threatened. unafrnid. the little nlong with
the great and powerful.
~ ann proposing TINT all nations hence
forth avoid rntnnging alliances which drive
them into competitions of power, catch them
In u net Of intrigue aud selfish rivalry ana
disturb their own affairs with Influences
ntrudcd from without"
OF some form of a league TO enforce
peace. the President said
There is no entaugling alliance In a
concert Of power when all unite to act
In the same sense and with th2 same
purpose all act in the common interest
and are free to live their own lives
under a common projection
The President declared these to be the
American principles and policy
I'VE could stand for no others he de-
Cared.
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH
President wilson's speech follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate.
.,-lt ,F Int tl,ar l1gl
addressed an identlc note to the Govern
mcuts OF the nations now at war requesting
them to state more definitely than had yet
been stated by either group of bell 'gcrcnts
the terms upon which they would deem It
poss bic to make peace. | spoke on behalf
of humanity and Of the rights of all neutral
nations like our own, many Of whose most
vital interests the war puts in constant
jeopardy.
"The Central Powers united in a reply,
which stated merely that they were ready
10 meet their antagonists in conference TO
discuss terms of peace. The Entente Pow
ers have replied more definitely and have
stated, in general terms indeed hut with
sufficient defniteness to imply details. the
arrangements, guarantees and acts of repa-
ration which they deem the indispensable
condition Of a satisfactory settlement We
are that much nearer a definite discussion
Of the peace which shall end the present
war
1--WE are that much nearer the discus
sion Of the international concert which
must thereafter hold the world at peace.
lin every discussion Of the peace that
must end this war it IL taken for granted
that that peace must be followed by some
definite concert of power which will make
it virtually impossible that any such
catastrophe should ever cverwhem US
again Every lover OF mankind. ever sane
and thoughtful man must take that for
granted
81 have sought this opportunity to ad-
dress you because thought that I owed
il TO you as the council associated with me
in the final determination OF our interna-
tional obligations, to disclose to you with
out reserve the thought and purpose tina;
have been taking form in my mind IN regard
TO the duty of our Government In the
days to come when it will be necessary
to lay afresh and upon new plan the
foundations Of peace among the nations
UNITED STATES NEST ACT
"It Is inconccivnblc that the people of
the UnHcd states should play no part in
that great enterprise.
ITO tukc part in such u service will be
the opportunity for which they have sought
to prepare themselves by tive very principles
and purposes of their poIity and the np-
proved practices of their Government ever
since the days when theS set uu "a new
nation in the high and honorable hcpe that
II might, In all that II was nnd d,d. show
mankind the way To liberty. They cannot
i'm honor withhold the service to which they
are now about to be challenged. Tuey do
not wish to withhold it. But they owe il
20 themselves and TO the cJucr nations OF
,he world 10 state the cOQditiOns under
which they will feel able to render g.
That service is nothing less than this
To add their authority and their power 10
the authority and force Of other nations
to guarantee peace and justice throughout
the world,
END MUST COME soon
such "A settlement cannot now be long
postponed II is right that before IL comes
this Government should frankly formulate
the conditions upon which II would feel
justified in asking our people TO approve its
formal and solemn adherence u a league
for peace. ] am here 10 attempt to state
those conditions.
THE present war must first be ended but
we owe I 10 candor and to a just regard
for the opinion OF mankind TO say that so
far as our participation in guarantees OF
future peace Is concerned IL make u great
deal of difference in what way and upon
what terms IL l. ended. The treaties and
the agreements which bring II To an end
must embody terms which u create "a
peace that Is worth guaranteeing and pre-
serving, peace that Will win the approval
Of mankind, not merely a peace that will
serve the several interests and immediate
aims OF the nations engaged. We shall
have no voice in determining what those
terms shall be, but VT shall, ! feel sure
have voice m determining whether they
shall be made lasting or not by the guaran-
tees OF a universal covenant; and our Judg-
ment upon what Is fundamental nnd essen
tial us condition precedent Co permanency
should be spoken now, not afterward when
il may be too late.
mo covenant Of cooperative peace that
does not include the principles of the New
World can suffice 70 keep the future safe
against war; and yet there rs only one sort
OF peace that the peoples Of America could
Join In guaranteeing. The elements Of that
peace must be elements that engage the
confidence and satisfy the principles Of the
American Governments elements consistent
with their political faith and the practical
convictions which the peoples gf America
have once for all embraced and uadert1i.sn
70 defend.
II do not mean 10 say that any American
Government would throw any obstacle In
the way OF any terms Of peace the Govern
ments now at war might agree upon, or seek
70 upset them when made, whatever they
might be. / only take II for granted that
mere terms Of peace between the belliger-
ents will not satisfy even the beligerents
themselves. Mere agreements may not