Mexico Missouri message., 1918-01-24
FOURTEEN SPECIFIC CONSIDER
ATIoNs NECESSARY FOR
WORLD PEACE.
SECRET DIPLOMACY DOOMED
Statement Surprises Lawmakers but
All Acknowledge Justice Of Pro-
nouncement--Furthsr Provo
cation 20 War Impossible.

W NlSOn III SuIpllbe hSbbdb0 W NOh-
Eress restated the aims for which the
United States entered the war. They
are in complete accord with Premier
Lloyd Georges recent declaration on
the subject, and are as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress-: Once
more, as repeatedly before, the spokes-
man of the central empires has indi-
Gated their desire to discuss the OBJ
3ects of the war and the possible basis
of a general peace.
Parleys have been in progress at
Brest-Litovsk between Russian repre-
sentatives and representatives of the
central powers to which the attention
of all the belligerents has been in
yited for the purpose Of ascertaining
whether it may be possible to extend
these parleys into a general confer
ence with regard TO terms OF peace
and settlement.
The Russian Proposal.
The Russian representatives pre-
Sented not only d perfectly definite
statement OF the principles upon wnlch
they woulu be Wiling to conclude
peace, but also an eQudlIy definite pro-
gram OF the concrete appncauon OF
those principles. The representatives
OF the central powers on their part
presented an outline OF settlement
whlcn IL much less definite seemed
susceptible OF liberal Interpretation
until IneIr specific program ot prac-
tical terms WAS added.
That program proposed no conces-
sions at all either 10 the sovereignty
OF Russia or to the preferences OF the
populations with whose fortunes IL
dealt, but meant, in a word, that the
central empires were TO keep every
foot of territory their armed forces
had occupied-every province, every
city, every point of vantage-as a per
manent addition to their territories
and their power.
1t Is a reasonable conjecture that
the general principles OF settlement
which they at first suggested original
ed with the more liberal statesmen of
Germany and Austria-the men who
have begun to feel the force Of their
own peoples thought and purpose.
while the concrete terms of actual set
tlement came from the military lead.
ers, who have no thought but to keep
what they have got. The negotiations
have been broken off.
Situation Full OF Difficulty.
The Russian representatives were
sincere and in earnest. They cannot
entertain such proposals Of conquest
and domination.
The whole incident is full of signifi
cance. 1t is also full OF perplexity
With whom are the Russian repre-
sentatives dealing? For whom are the
representatives of the central powers
speaking? Are they speaking for the
majorities of their respective parla
ments or for the minority parties, thai
military and imperialistic minority
which has so far dominated theil
whole policy and controlled the affairs
of Turkey and of the Balkan states
which have felt obliged to becomG
their associates in this war;
The Russian representatives havI
insisted. very justly, very wisely ant
in the true spirit of modern democ
Tacy, that the conferences they haVI
been holding with the Teutonic ant
Turkish statesmen should be hell
within open. not closed, doors, and al
the world has been audience. as wa
desired.
Germany's Proposals.
then? To those who speak the spiri
and intention of the resolutions of tn
German Reichstag of the 9th of Jul.
last, the spirit and intention Of tn
Liberal leaders and parties of Gel
many, or to those who resist and def
that spirit and intention. and insis
upon conquest and subjugation? o
are we listening. in fact, to both, III
reconciled and in open and hopeles
contradiction? These are very seriou
and pregnant questions.
Upon the answer to them depend
the peace OF the world.
But whatever the result Of the pa
leys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever tn
confusions of counsel and OF purpos
IN the utterances OF the spokesmen @
the central empires. they have agai
attempted to acQuaint the world wit
their objects In the war and hav
again challenged their adversarieC
say what their objects are and wha
sort Of settlement they would deer
Just and satisfactory.
War Aims often Stated.
There is no good reason why this
challenge should not be responded t
and responded to with the utmost cal
dor. We did not wait for it. Nc
once, but again and again we haV
laid our whole thought and purpos
ha(oro tha xuorid NOT fu Ranaral term