Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-14

taneously with the announcement by the
Bolshevik government that Russia Is out
Of the war and that . general demobliza-
ton along the entire Russian front
10 to be carried out. thus permitting
the Teutonic allies to withdraw all
their forces for use on other battle
fronts, President Wilson has restated to a
Joint session Of Congress the fact that the
United States is in the war to stay until
those principles which people regard as
fundamental to a permanent peace are
obtained.
"Our whole strength" said the Presi-
dent, will be put into this war of
emancipation-emancip from the
threat and attempted mastery Of selfish
groups of autocratic rulers-whatever the
difficulties and present partial delays. We
are indomitable in our power of inde-
pendent action and can in no circum-
stances consent to live in world governed
by intrigue and force. We believe that our
own desire for new international order
under which reason and Justice and the
common interests Of mankind shall pre-
vail IL the desire Of enlightened men every
whore. Having set our hand to the
task Of achieving 1t, we shall not turn
back"
livered in answer to recent utterances by
Count Czernin, the Austro Hungarian for
eign minister, and Count Won Hertling. the
imperial German chancellor. made in
reply to tho peace aims Of the United
States and her associates In the war set
forth by President Wilson and David
Lloyd George. the British prime minister.
In the words Of Count Czernin the
President saw a friendly tone; those of
Won Hertling were vague, very confusing
and full Of equivocal phrases. Czernin.
said the President, seemed to have seen
the fundamental elements of peace with
clear eyes and did not seek to obscure
them, and probably would have gone
much further had IL not been for the
endorsements Of Austria's alliances and
Of her dependence upon Germany"
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
On the eighth Of January. had the
honor Of addressing you on the objects
Of the war as our people conceive them.
The prime minister Of Great Britain had
spoken In similar terms on the fifth of
January. To these addresses the German
chancellor replied on the twenty-fourth
and Count Czernin for Austria on the same
day.
It 10 gratifying to have our desire SO
promptly realized that all exchanges OF
views on this great matter should be made
In the hearing Of all the world.
CZERNIN's REPLY FRIENDLY.
Count Csernin's reply which is directed
chiefly to my own address on the eighth
Of January Is uttered In a very friendly
tone. He finds In my statement q
1y the
views Of his own government to Justify
him in believing that It furnishes a basis
for . more detailed discussion Of pur'
poses by the two governments.
He IL reported to have intimated that the
views he was expressing had been com.
inundated to me before hand and that
was aware Of them at the time he wa
uttering them: but in this I am SURF HI
was misunderstood.
had received no intimation Of what
he intended to say. There was, of course
no reason why he should communicat.
privately with me. I am quite content t.
bs one of his public audiences.
HERTLING's REPLY Is VAGUE.
Count Won Hertling's reply is. mus
say, very vague. and very confusing. It II
full Of squivooal phrases and leads It 1,
not clear anywhere. But 1t is certainl,
in very different tone from that Of Coun
Csernin and apparently of an opposite pur
pose. It confirms. l am sorry to say
rather than removes the unfortunate i'm
preston made by what he had learned o.
the conferences at Brest.Litovsk. Hi
discussion and acceptance of our genera
principles led him to no practical con
illusions. He refused to apply them to tn,
,ux NH NJ.
tho body Of any final settlement He Il
jealous Of international action. Of inter
national counsel. He accepts. he says. tn
principle Of public diplomacy. but he ap
pears to insist 1t be confined at any rat
In this Case to generalities and that thu
several particular questions of territor!
and sovereignty. the several question:
upon whose settlement must depend tn
acceptance Of peace by the q states nov
engaged in the war, must be discussed ant
settled. not in general council. but sew
orally by the nations most Immediately con
cerned by interest and neighborhood. H
agrees that the seas should be free, blu
looks askance at any limitation to tina
freedom by international action in tn
interest of the common order.
He would without reserve be glad I,
see economic barriers removed between
nation and nation, for that could in n,
way impede the ambitions of the mill
tary party with whom he seems con
strained to keep on terms. Neither doe
he raise objection to a Limitation O
ornaments That matter will he settle,
Of itself. he thinks. by the economic condi
tions which must follow tho war, bu
the Germans colonies. he demands. must b
returned without debate. He will discus
with no one but the representatives o
Russia what disposition shall be made o
the peoples and the lands of the Balti
provinces; with no one but the govern
ment of France the conditions" unde
which French territory shall be evacuated
and only with Austria what shall be don
with Poland.
In the determination Of all question
J affecting the Balkan states, he defers
as understand him to Austria and Tur
key; and with regard to the agreemen
to be entered into Concerning the non
, Turkish people of the present Ottoma,
!. empire to the Turkish authorities them
selves.
After a settlement all around, efrecte
In this fashion. by individual barter h
would have no objection, II I correctl
interpret his statement. to a league q
nations which would undertake to hold tn
new balance of power steady against ex
ternhl disturbance.
NOT THE WAY TO PEACE.
1t must be evident to every one VIII
, understands what this war has wrougf
In the opinion and temper Of the worl
that no general peace. no peace worth tn
inhnite sacrifices Of these years of tragic,
| suffering, can be arrival Mt in INV suc