Middletown transcript., 1918-07-13

,pipess, to be associated in action, the
faith and purpose with which We act.
This, then, is our conception Of the
great struggle In which we are en-
gagged. The plot Is written plain upon
every scene and every act Of the
supreme tragedy. On the one hand
Stand the peoples Of the world. not
only the people actually engaged, but
many others also who suffer under
mastery but cannot act; peoples OF
many races and in every part of the
world-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 spread
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 disposing of their lives and for
tunes as they will, as we'll as OF the
lives and fortunes of every people who
fall under their power-governments
clothed with the strange trappings
and the primitive authority of an age
that is altogether alien and hostile
to our own. The Past and the Pres
ent are in deadly grapple and the peo-
pies of the world are being done to
death between them.
But One Issue Possible.
There can be but one issue. The
settlement must be final. There can
be no compromise. No halfway decf-
sion would be tolerable. No halfway
decision is conceivable. These are
the ends for which the associated and
peoples of the world are fighting and
which must be conceded them before
there can be peace:
I. The destruction os every arbi-
trary power anywhere that can sep
arateIy, secretly, and Of its single
choice disturb the peace of the world
or, If it cannot be presently destroyed,
at the least it's reduction to virtual
impotence.
II. The settlement Of every ques-
ton, whether Of territory, Of SOW
ereignty, Of economic arrangement or
Of political relationship, upon the basis
of the free acceptance Of that settle
ment cy the people Immediately con-
cerned, and not upon the basis Of the
material interest or advantage Of any
other nation or people which may de-
sire different settlement for the sake
Of its own exterior influence or mas.
terry.
III. The consent Of all nations to
be governed in their conduct toward
each other by the same principles Of
honor and Of respect for the common
law Of civilized society that govern
the individual citizens Of all modern
states in their relations with one an
other; to the end that all promises
and covenants may be sacredIy OBJ
served, no private plots or conspira-
cies Matched, no selfish injuries
wrought with impun;ty, and mutual
trust established upon the handsome
foundation Of a mutual respect for
right.
w. The establishment of an or.
ganization Of peace which shall make
It certain that the combined power Of
free 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 can
not be amicab!y agreed upon by the
peoples directly concerned shall be
sanctioned.
FOR REIGN OF LAW.
These great objects can be put into
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 cannot be achieved
by debating and seeking to reconcile
and accommodate what statesmen
may wish, with their projects for bal
ances of power and of national op-
portunity. They can be realized only
by the determination of what the
thinking peoples of the world desire,
with their longing hope for justice
md for social freedom and Opportun-
ity.
l can fancy that the air of this place
carries the accent of such principles
with a peculiar kindness. Here were
started forces which the great nation
against which they were primarily d.
rected at first regarded as a revolt
againts its rightful authority, but
which it has long since seen to have
been step in the liberation Of its
own people as well as Of the people
of the United States; and stand
here now to speak-speak proudly
and with confident hope-of the
spread Of this revolt, this liberation,
to the great stage of the world itself!
The blinded rulers of Prussia have
aroused forces they knew little Of
forces which. once aroused, can never
be crushed to earth again; for they
have at their heart an inspiration and
a purpose which are deathless and Of
the very stuff of triumph!
There are now 5.O63 prisoners Of
war in England working in agricul-
ture and 1,4O0 more are to be EN-.
ployed.