The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-01-09
Text Of the Address.
Tho Presideut's Address,.
The President spoke as follows:


"urntirlucu. Of the Copgress:-Once
/ moro. as repeatedly before. the spokcs-
men Of the Central empires have indi-
! Gated their desire TO discuss the objects
| of the war and the possible basis or 4
! general peace. Parlcys have bncn In
| progress at Brcst-LitUvak between rep
| reseutatireS OF the Central powers TO
which tho attention OF all the bclliger-
| euts has been invited for the purpose OF
! aSccrtnininG whether 1t may be possible
! to extend The pArrys into Il general con-
| fcrencc with regard 10 terms OF pence
| and settlement. The Russian repre-
:, natives presented not only 4 perfect
Is definite statement OF tho principles
upon which they would be willing &c
cnncludc peace. but also an equally deli
mite program Of the concrete application
of those principles. The repre- S"nlaiir"s
OF the Central powers on thciF part,
presented an outline Of settlement.
which. IL much less definite" seemed SITS
ceptible o. liberal Interpretation unin
their specific program or practical terms
was added. That program prop"S"d no
concessions at all either Ia suv"r"ignt:
OF Russia or u the preferences of ihe
population with whose fortunes il dealt
put meant. III Il word. that the Central
empires were TO keep every foot OF ter
,itnrr their armed forces had occupied
every province. every city, every point
II vantaGe-aS q permanent addition 20
their territories ana thel" powers. II Is
4 reasonable conjecture that the gen
! eral principles OF settlement which they
1T first suggested originated with the
moro liberal statesmen OF Germany ana
Austria, tho men who have begun 10 feel
the force OF their own peoples thought
and purpose. while the concrete terms
Of actual settlement cams from the mill
;ary leaders who have no thought. but
20 k.,"p what ,h"y have go. hi" neEo-
,iations have been broken Off. The
Russian representatives were sincere
.';nd in earnest. They cannot entertain
such proposals OF conquest and domlna-
. ton.
The whole incident is full Of sisnift-
,."uce. II Is also full OF per2l"Sity. With
" hom are the Russian representatives
dealing For whom are tho representa-
tivrs Of the Central empires speaking.
Are they speaking for the nnt"rileS ~
their respective problems. or for IN" MI
norttr parties. that military and inner
italIstic minority which has so far dcmi-
mated their whole policy and controlled
the affairs Of Turkey and Of tn" Ralkan
states which have felt obliged Ia become
their associates in this war? Tn" Rus
sian government representatives nave
insisted. very Justly. very wisely. ana
in the true spirit NJ modern dom9cracy
that the conferences they hay" hecn
holding with the teutonic and turkish
stntrrucn should he held within open.
not closed doors. and nil The world has
been audiences as was desired. TO whom
have we been listening then: T" those
which spe;lk tho spirit and intention or
the resolutions OF the German Reich
stor of the ninth Of July last. tho spirit
ind intention Of the l.ihrral leaders and
nartics Of Germany. or to those who TO
sis, and defy that spirit ana Intention
and insistAupuu conquest and SuhjuEh-
tiouc Or are we listening. in Tact. 10
both. unreconclled and IN open and hope
less contradiction" These are very S"r'-
Gus pregnant questions. Upon tn" an
sUcr to that depends the peace III IN"
world.
but whatever tn" result of the per
1ers mt RreSt-I.itovsk. whatever the COLI
fusions of counsel and of purpose in tn"
'uttcranccs of tho spokesman OF th>
Central empires. they hive again at
i,.r1ptcd 10 acQuaint the world with
their ohjcctss in tho War and have again
Echallengcd their adverSaries TO III! what
their objects are and what sort OF S"t-
Element they would deem just and sat
isfactory. There Is no good reason why
that challenge should not be Responder
TO. and responded TO with tho utmost
candor. We did not wait for il. Not once
but again and again. "" hay" l"id our
whole thought and purpose bcf"r" the
world, Tot In general terms only. hui
ZACH time with sufficient definition I"
make It clear what sort OF deftnitiNc
spirit OF settlement must necessarily
znrtne out Of them. Within tho lhSt
wcek Mr., LLOYD George has spoken With
admirable candor and in admirahl" spirit
for the people and government 81 ''rrht
britain. There Is no confusion OF '"un-