The Benson signal., 1918-02-16
tial bases of commercial and industrial

agreement and guarantee, but he can
not expect that to be conceded him If
the other matters to be determined by
the articles of peace are not handled
in the same way as items in the final
accounting. He cannot ask the bene-
| fit Of common agreement in the one
field without according it in the other.
l take it for granted that he sees
that separate and selfish compacts
with regard to trade and the essential
materials of manufacture would afford
no foundation for peace. Neither, he
may rest assured, will separate and
selfish compacts with regard to prov
inces and people.
Count Czernin seems to see the fun
damental elements of peace with clear
eyes and does not seek to obscure
them He sees that an independent
Poland, made up of all the indisput-
ably Polish peoples who lie contiguous
to one another, is a matter of Euro
conceded; that Belgium must be evac-
uated and restored, no matter what
sacrifices and concessions that may
involve; and that national aspirations
must be satisfied, even within his own
rope and mankind
If he is Silent about questions which
touch the interest and purpose of his
allies more nearly than they touch
those of Austria only, it must, of
course, be because he feels con-
strained, 1 suppose, to defer to Ger
many and Turkey in the circum-
stances. Seeing and conceding, as he.
does, the essential principles involved
and the necessity of candidly applying
them, he naturally feels that Austria
can respond to the purpose Of peace as
expressed by the United States with
less embarrassment than could Ger
many. He would probably have gone
much farther had it not been for the
embarrassm ents of Austria's alliances
and of her dependence on Germany.
Simple Tests Easily Applied.
After all, the test of whether it is
possible for either government to go
any further in this comparison of
views is simple and obvious. The prin-
ciples to be applied are these:
First, that each part of the final set
tlement must be based upon the es-
sential justice of that particular cause
and upon such adjustments as are
most likely to bring a peace that will
! be permanent
| Second that peoples and provinces
are not to be bartered about from
| sovereignty to sovereignty as if they
were mere chattels and pawns in
game, even the great game, now for
ever discredited, of the balance of
power; but that,
Third, every territorial settlement
involved in this war must be made in
the interest and for the benefit of the
populations concerned and not as
part Of any mere adjustment or COM
promise of claims amongst rival
states; and,
Fourth, that all well-defined nation
al aspirations shall be accorded the
utmost satisfaction that can be ac-
corded them without introducing new
or perpetuating old elements of dis
cord and antagonism that would be
likely in time to break the peace of
Europe and consequently of the world.
A general peace erected on such
foundations can be discussed. Until
such a peace can be secured We have
no choice but to go on.
So far as we can judge these prin-
ciples that we regard as fundamental
are already everywhere accepted as
imperative except among the spokes-
men of the military and annexation
list party in Germany. If they have
anywhere else been rejected, the OBJ
jectors have not been sufficiently
numerous or influential to make their
voices audible. The tragical circum-
stance Is that this one party in Ger
many is apparently willing and able to
send millions Of men to their death to
prevent what all the world now sees
to be just.
America Must Never Turn Back.
would not be true spokesman of
the people of the United States if l
did not say once more that we entered
this war upon no small occasion and
that we never can turn back from a
| course chosen upon principle. Our re-
sources are in part mobilized now and
we shall not pause until they are mo-
| bilized in their entirety.
Our armies are rapidly going to the
| fighting front and will go more and
more rapidly. Our whole strength will
| be put into this war of emancipation
emancipation from the threat and
attempted mastery OF selfish groups of
autocratic rulers-whatever the diff
culties and present partial delays. We
are indomitable in our power of inde.
| pendent action and can in no circum-
stances consent to live in g world
governed by intrigue and force.
We believe that our own desire for
a new international order under which
reason and justice and the common
interests Of mankind shall prevail is
the desire Of enlightened men every
where. Without that new order the
world will be without peace and hui
man life will lack tolerable conditions
Of existence and development. Having
set our hand to the task of achieving
it we shall not turn back.
hope that it is not necessary for
me to add that no word of what I
have said is intended as a threat.
That is not the temper of our people.
l have spoken them only that the
whole world may know the true spirit