Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-15

been stated with frankness. a large
ness OF view. n generosity Of spirit.
and a universal human sympathy
which must challenge the admiration
OF every friend Of mankind: and they
have refused to compound their ideals
or desert others that they themselves
may be safe. They call to US to say
what il is that We desire, in what,
| If anything. our purposes and our
tspirit differ from theirs: and believe
that the people Of the United States
would wish me 10 respond. with utter
simplicity and frankness. Whether
their present leaders believe It or not,
, il Is our heartfelt desire and hope
that some way may be opened where
by we may be privileged to assist the
people of Russia TO attain their ut
most hope OF liberty and ordered
peace.
II will be our wish and purpose that
the processes Of peace. when they are
begun. shall he absolutely open and
that they shall involve and permit
hrnccforth no secret understandings
OF any kind. The day OF conquest and
a randizcment Is gone by: so Is also
the day OF secret covenants entered
entered into in the interest Of par
ticular governments and likely at some
unlocked for moment to upset the
peace OF the world. II Is this happy
fact. now clear TO the view OF every
public man whose thoughts do not
still lingcr in an age that Is dead and
gone. which makes II possible for ev-
cry nation whose purposes are con-
sistcnt with justice and the peace OF
the world 10 avow now or at any 9TH
or time the objects 1t has in view.
United States Touched to the Quick.
We entered this war because viola
tions Of right had occurred which
touched us to the quick and made the
life OF our own people impossible un-
less they were corrected and the
world secured once for all against
their recurrence. What we demand
in this war. therefore. Is nothing pc
culiar TO ourselves. II Is that The
and particularly that It be made safe
for every peacc-loving nation which.
like our own. wishes to live its own
life. determine its own institutions. be
nI faEr hyI
the other peoples OF the world as
agaist force and selfish aggression.
All the peoples OF the world are in ef-
feet partners in this interest. and for
our own part we see very clearly that
unless justice he done to others II
will not br done to us. The pro-
grammc OF the worlds peace. there
fore. Is our programme: and that pro-
gramme. the only possible programme.
as we see it. is this:
]. Open covenants Of peace. openly
arrived at. after which there shall be
no private international understand
ings of any kind but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and In the
public view.
,. Absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas. outside territorial wat
ers. alike II peace and " var. s8seGt
as the seas may be closed In whole or
in part by international action for the
enforcement of international cove
nants.
3. The removal, as far az possible.
of all economic barriers and the estab-
lishment Of an equality Of trade con-
ditions among all the nations consent
ing to the peace and associating them
selves for its maintenance.
4. Adequate guarantees given and
taken that national armaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety.
5. A free, open minded and absolute
~ impartial adjustment of all coloni-
al claims, based upon strict observ-
ance of the principle that in determin-
Ing all such questions Of sovereignty
the interests of the populations con-
cerned must have equal weight with
the equitable claims Of the govern
ment whose title Is to be determined.
6. The evacuation of all Russian
territory and such a settlement Of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
cure the best and freest cooperation
of the other nations of the world in
obtaining for her an unhampered and
uncmbarrassed opportunity for the in
dependent determination Of her own
political development and national
policy and assure her Of a sincere
welcome into the society Of free ma
tions under institutions Of her own
choosing; and more than a welcome
assistance also Of every kind that she
may need and may herself desire. The
treatment accorded Russia by her sis
ter nations In the months to come will
be the acid test Of their good will, Of
their comprehension Of her needs as
distinguished from their own inter-
csts. and Of their intelligent and un-
selfish sympathy.
Belgium Must Be Evacuated.
I. Belgium. the whole world will
agree, must be evacuated and restored
without any attempt to limit the SOW
ereignty which she enjoys In common
with all other free nations. No other
single act will serve as this will serve
to restore confidence among the ma
Ftions in the laws which they have
themselves set and determined for the
government OF. their relations with one
another, without this healing act the
whole structure and validity Of inter-
national law is forever impaired.
s. All French territory should be
freed and the invaded portions restor-
ed, and the wrong done to France by
Prussia in 1871 In the matter Of AL
sace-Lorraine. which has unsettled
the peace Of the world for nearly fifty
yeara should he ri1hted In order that