The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-10-01

than before OF the Issues that hang
upon it and of the purposes which
must be realized by means of it. For
it has positive and we'll defined pur-
poses which we did not determine
and which we cannot alter. No
statesman or assembly created them:
no statesman or assembly can alter
them. They have arisen out of the
very nature and circumstances of the
war. The most that statesmen or as
semblies can do is to carry them out
or be false to them. They were per-
haps not clear at the outset; but
they are clear now. The war has
lasted more than four years and the
whole world has been drawn into
it. The common will of mankind
has been substituted for the particu-
lar purposes of Individual states. In
dividual statesmen may have start
ed the conflict. but neither they nor
their opponents can stop 1t as they
please. 1t has become a peoples war.
and peoples Of all sorts and races, OF
of fortune. are involved in it's sweep
ing process Of change and settle
ment. We came into it when it's
character had become fully defined
stan dapart or be Indifferent to it's
outcome. Its challenge drove to the
heart Of everything we cared for and
lived for. Our brothers from many
lands, as well as our own murdered
dead under the sea, were calling to
us, and we responded, fiercely and
Of course.
The air was clear about us. We
saw things in their full. convincing
proportions as they were; and we
have seen them with steady eyes and
unchanging comprehensions ever
since. We accepted the issues OF the
war as facts, not as any group OF
men either here or elsewhere had de-
fined them, and we can accept no
outcome which does not suuarely
meet and settle them. Those issues
are these:
The Issues Of the War.
Shall the military power Of any
nation or group OF nations be suf-
fered to determine the fortunes of
peoples over whom they have no right
10 rule except the right OF force?
Shall strong nations be free to
wrong weak nations and make them
subject to their purpose and inter
est?
Shall peoples be ruled and dom
mated, even in their own internal
affairs, by arbitrary and irresponsible
force or by their own will and
choice?
Shall there be a common stand
ard Of right and privilege for all
peoples and nations or shall the
strong do as they will and the weak
suffer without redress?
Shall the assertion OF right be
haphazard and by casual alliance or
shall there be a common concert to
ohlige the observance of common
rights?
Must BE Settled Forever.
mo man, no group of men. chose
these to be the issue OF the struggle
They are the issues of it; and thew
must he settled-by no Arrangement
or compromise or adjustment of in
terests. but definitely ana once for all
and with fun and uneQuivocal ac-
ceptance of the principle that the in
t"rest of the weakest is as sacred as
the interest OF the strongest.
This is what we mean when we
speak of permanent peace. if we
speak sincerely, intc'ligentIy. and
with real knowledge and compre-
hension Of the matter we deal with
I'VE are all agreed that there can
b" no pcacc obtained by any kind OF
bargain or compromise with the gov
ernm"nt OF the central empire. he
cause We have dealt with them al
ready and have seen them deal with
other governments that were parties
TO this struggle, at Brcst Litovsk and
bucharest They hove convinced ne
that they are without honor and do
not intend justice. They observe no
covenants, accept no principle but
force and their own interest We can
not come to terms with them They
have made it impossible. The Ger
man people must by this time be fully
aware that we cannot accept the
word of those who forced this war
upon us. We do not think the same
thoughts or speak the same language
of agreement
1T is of capital importance that
we should also be explicitly agreed