River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-01-17
WILSON AGAIN
OUTLINES AIMS
Presents Definite Program For
World Peace, In Speech In
Congress In Reply To
Czernin Offer.
Text of Message

Washington, D. c., Jan. 9.-Presi-
lent Wilson, addressing congress, has
Just delivered a restatement OF
Americas war aims.
definite program for world
peace, containing fourteen specific
considerations, was presented.
The Presidents address in practi-
eally every instance was in agree
ment with the recent declaration of
Premier Lloyd George of Great Brit
ain.
Distribution to all parts of the
world of President Wilson's address
by cable and wireless has been ar
ranged for by the committee on pub
lie information. Tle sending began
in New York at the press censors
office as soon as word was received
from Washington that the president
had begun to speak.
The President spoke as follows:
Gentlemen Of Congress:
Once more, as repeatedly before,
the spokesman of the Central EN-
pires have indicated their desire
10 discuss the objects of the war and
peace. Parleys have been in prog
ress at Brest-Litovsk between Rus
sian representatives and representa-
tives of the Central Powers to which
the attention of all the belligerents
have been invited for the purpose of
ascertaining whether 1t may be pos
sible to extend these parleys into a
general conference with regard to
terms of peace and settlement. Tie
Russian representatives presented not
only perfectly definite statement Of
principles upon which they would be
willing to conclude peace, but also
an equally definite program of the
concrete application of those prin-
ciples. The representatives of the
Central Powers on their part pre-
sented an outline of settlement
which, if much less definite, seemed
susceptible of liberal Interpretation
until their specific program of prac-
tical terms was added.
Proposed No Concessions.
That program proposed no conces-
sions at all either to the sovereign
ty of Russia or to the preferences
of the population with whose for
tunes in 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 permanent addition to
their territories and their power It
is a reasonable conjecture that the
general principles of settlement
which they have at first suggested
originated with the more liberal
statesmen of Germany and Austria,
the men ,gho have begun to feel tie
force of their own peoples thought
and purpose while the concrete
terms Of actual settlement came
from the. military leaders who have
no thought but to keep what they
have got. Tie negotiations have
been lroken off. The Russian repre-
sentatives were sincere and in earn.
est. They cannot entertain such pro-
posals of conquest and domination.
UphoIds Russians.
The whole incident is full of signiii-
canoe. 1t is also full of perplexity.
With whom are the Russian repre-
sentatives dealing? For whom are
the representatives of the Central
Empires speaking? Are they speak
ing for the majorities of their re-
spective parliamentS or for the min
ority parties, that military and i'm
perialiStic minority which has SO far
dominated their whole policy and
controlled the affairs of Turkey and
of the Balkan states which have
felt obliged to become their asso-
ciates in this war? The Russian rep
resentatives have insisted, very just
ly, very wisely, and in the true spirit
of democracy that the conferences
they have been holding with the
Teutonic and Turkish statesmen
should be held within open, not closed
doors, and all the world has been
audience as was desired. To
whom have we been listening then?
To those who speak the spirit and in
man reichstag of the 9th of July
last, the spirit and intention of their
liberal leaders and parties of Ger
many or TO those who persist and
defy that spirit and intention and in
sist upon conquest and subjugation?
Or are we listening in fact to both
unreconciled and in open and hope
less contradiction? These are very
serious and pregnant questions. Upon
the answer to them depends the peace
of the world
Premier's Talk Praised.
But whatever the result of the par
1eys at Brest Litovsk, whatever the
confusions of counsel and purpose of
so@-~~~~~1~4~1~-~~~.~~
New York Milk Men Indicted.