The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-07-12

the great age upon whose inspira-
tlon we draw today, This is surely a
fitting place from which calmly 10
look out upon our task, that we may
fortify our spirits for Its accomplish
ment. And this Is the appropriate
place from which 10 ayow, alike 10 the
friends who look on and TO the friends
with whom we have the happiness to
be associated In action, the faith and
purpose with which we act.
The Opposing Forces.
This, then, Is our conception Of the
grent struggle In which we are en-
gagged. The plot isswritten plain upon
every scene and every act OF the SUI
prerne tragedy. On the other hand
stand the peoples Of the world
only the peoples actually engaged, but
many others also who suffer under
mastery, but cannot act; peoples OF
many races and In every part of the
worid--the people of stricken Russia
still among the rest. though they are
for the moment unorganized and help
less Opposed to them, masters of
many armies, stand an Isolated, friend
less group Of governments who speak
no common purpose but only selfish
ambitions Of their own, by which none
can profit but themselves, and whose
peoples are fuel In their hands; gov
ernments which fear their people and
yet are for the time their sovereign
lords. making every choice for them
and dlsposing OF their lives and for
tunes as they viii, as well as Of the
lives and fortunes of every people
who fall under their power govern
ments clothed with the strange trap
pings and authority of an age that is
altogether alien and hostile to our own.
The past and the present are In deadly
graphic and the peoples of the world
are being done to death between them.
Settlement Must Be Final.
'"rhere can be but one issue. The
settlement must be final There can
be no compromise. No halfway de-
clsion would be tolerable. No half
way decision Is conceivable. These are
the ends for which the associated peo-
Piles of the world are fighting and
which must be conceded them before
there can be peace.
1.-THE destruction OF every arbi-
trary power anywhere that can sep
arately, secretly, and of Its single
choice, disturb the peace of the world:
or, II II can not be presently destroyed,
at the least It's reduction to virtual inn
potence.
"2-The settlement of every question,
whether of territory, of sovereignty,
of economic arrangement, or of polit-
ical relationship, upon the basis of the
free acceptance of that settlement by
the people Immediately concerned, and
not upon the basis of the material in
terest or advantage of any other ma
ton or people which may desire dir
ferent settlement for the sake of its
own exterior influence or mastery.
Consent of the Governed.
"3-The consent of all nations to be
governed in their conduct towards each
other by the same principles of honor
and of respect for the common law Of
civilized society that govern the indi-
vidual citizens of all modern states in
their relations with one another; to
the end that all promises and cove
nants may be sacredly observed, no
private plots or conspiracles Matched,
no selfish injuries wrought with inn
punity, and a mutual trust established
hpph AhN litiiluoOtAt. lOunuallOll III II
mutual respect for right.
1.-THE establishment Of an organ
izatlon of peace, which shall make 1t
certain that the combined power of
the nations will check every invasion
of right and serve TO make peace and
Justice the more secure by affOrding
a definite tribunal of opinion. TO which
all must submit and by which every
international readjustment that cannot
be amicably agreed upon by the peo-
pies directly concerned shall be sane
toned.
Great Objects Condensed.
These great objects can be put into
a single sentence. What we seek is
the reign of law, based upon the con-
sent of the governed and sustained by
/ the organized opinion of mankind.
These great ends can not be
achieved by debating and seeking to
reconcile and accommodate what
statesmen may WISH with their prof.
ects for balances of power and of ma,
tional opportunity They can be real
lied only by the determination of what
the thinking peoples of the world de,
sire, with their longing hope for ius
Wv NAAA AVA SWIM 4Atthhlh dllu Oh
portunity.
II can fancy that the air of thi.
place carries the accents of such prin
ciples with peculiar kindness. Her,
were started forces which the grea
nation against which they were pri
marily directed ut first regarded as
revolt against its rightful authority
but which II has long since seen I,
have been a step In the liberation O
its own people as well as of the pee
pies of the United States, and | stun,
here now to speak-speak proudly, an,
with confident hope~Of the spread O
this revolt, this liberation, to the grea
stage of the world itself The blinde
rulers OF Prussia have reused force
they knew little 0f--forces which, one
reused, can never be crushed to cart
again; for they have at their heart a
inspiration and purpose which M
deathless and of the very stun of tr
umph r.
Civilians Will be Given Chance.
Washington. Orders restricting al
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