St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-01-12

termined by friendly counsel along
historically established lines OF al
legiance and nationality; and inter-
national guarantees of the political
and economic independence and ter
ritorial integrity of the several Bal
kan states should be entered into.
XII. The Turkish portions of the
present Ottoman empire should be
assured a secure sovereignty, hut
the other natiOnalities which are un-
der Turkish rule should ibe assured
an undoubted security of life and
an absolutely unmolested opportuni-
ty of autonomous development, and
the Dardanelles should be perma-
nently opened as free passage 10
the ships and commerce of all ma
tons under International guaran-
tees.
XIII. An Independent Polish
state should be erected which cFhou.d
| include the territories inhabited by
indisputably Polish populations,
which should be assured a free and
secure access to the sea, and whose
political and economic independence
and territorial integrity should be
guaranteed by international cove
nant. ~
XIV. A general association OF
nations must he formed under spe-
cific covenants for the purpose OF
affording mutual guarantees OF po-
1itical independence and territorial
integrity to great and small states
alike.
In regard to these essential rectifi-
cations of wrong and assertions OF
! right we feel ourselves to he init
mate partners of all the peoples as
ISOLATED together against the inn
periatists. We cannot be separated
in interest or divided in purpose.
We stand together until the end.
For such arrangements and cove
nants we are willing to fight and to
continue to fight until tn y are
achieved; but only because we wish
the right to prevail and desire just
and stable peace such as can be Sc
cured only by removing the chief
provisions Of war, which this pro-
gram does remove.
We have NO jealousy OF German
greatness, and there is nothing in
this program that impairs 1t. We
grudge her no achievement or dis
tinction of learning or of pacific en-
| terprise such as have made her rec
ord very bright and very. enviable.
We do not wish to injure her or to
block in any way her legitimate in
| f1uence or power We do not wish
to fight her either with arms or with
hostile arrangements of trade II she
| is willing to associate herself with
us and the other peace-loving ma
| tions of the world and covenants OF
justice and law and fair dealing.
We wish her only to accept place
of equality among the peoples of the
world-the new world in which we
now live-instead of a place of mas
terry
Neither do We presume to sug-
gest to her any alteration or mofdfi-
cation Of her institutions.
But 1t is necessary, we must
frankly say, and necessary as
preliminary to any intelligent
dealings with her on our part,
that we should know whom her
spokesman speak for when they
speak to us, whether for the
Reichtsag majority or for the
military party and the men
whose creed Is imperial iomi-
nation.
We have spoken now, surely in
terms too concrete to admit of any
further doubt or question. An evil
dent principle runs through the
whole program l have outlined. 1t
Is the principle of justice to all peo-
pies and natdona'ities, and Their
right to live on equal terms OF aih-
erty and safety with one another,
whether they be strong or weak.
Un1ess this principle be made its
foundation, no part Of the, structure
of international iuctice can stand.
The people of the United States
could act upon no other principle:
and to the vindicatson of this prin-
ciple they are ready to- devote their
Lives, their honor. and everything
that they possess. The moral eli
max of this, the Eliminating and
final war for human liberty, has
come and they are ready to put their
own ntrength, their own highest pur-
pose. their own integrity and de-
votion to the test."