Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1918-01-18
ONLY WAY KAISER
|. GAN OBTAIN PEACE
DEFINITE TERMS ENUMERATED
BY WHICH ENEMY CAN END
GREAT WORLD STRUGGLE.
U.S.WlLLFIGHTFOR THEMALL
President Wilson Takes Capital and
Congress by Complete Surprise
When He Calls Joint Session
and Delivers Peace Message.

When He Calls Joint Session
and Delivers Peace Message.
Washington. terms specific and
questionable, President Wilson stip-
ulated, before a joint session of con-
gress, the aims for which America is
now fighting This country, he said,
will continue the struggle until these
are achieved
1t was the compelling voice Of
the Russian people" asking a defini-
ton of Americas principles and pur-
pose," that prompted the president to
go before congress. 1t was largely to
Russia that his speech was directed.
The presidents message follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress-
Once more, as repeatedly before, the
indicated their desire to discuss the OBJ
jects OF the war and the possible basis
| Of general peace.
Parleys have been In progress at Brest
lltovsk between Russian representa-
! tives and representative Of the central
powers to which the attention of all the
belligerents have been invited for the
| purpose OF ascertaining whether 1t may
be possible to extend the parleys into
q genera! conference with regard to
terms OF peace and settlement The
Russian representatives presented not
only perfectly definite statement of
| the principles upon which they would
be willing to conclude peace, but also
an equally definite program of the con-
crete application Of those principles. The
representatives Of the central powers, on
their part, presented an outline of set
| tlement which, If much less definite,
| seemed susceptible of liberal interpreta-
ton uEtil their specific program of prac-
| teal terms was added.
No Concessions at All.
That program proposed no concessions
at all, either to the sovereignty of Rus
| STA or to the reference OF the popula-
lions with whose fortunes 1t dealt, but
meant, In a word, that the central en-
| pireS were to keep every foot of terri
tory their armed forces had occupied
every province, every city, every point
Of vantage-as a permanent addition TO
their territories and their power 1t is
a reasonable conjecture that the gem
| eral principles of settlement which they
at first suggested originated 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 settlement came from the mill
| tary leaders who have no thought but
| to keep what they have got. The me-
gotiations have been broken off. me
| Russian representatives were sincere
and in earnest. They cannot entertain
such proposals of conquest and domin-
| alton.
The whole incident is full OF signifi-
| canoe. 1t is also fun of perplexity With
whom are the Russian representatives
| dealing? For whom are the representa-
| tives Of the central empires speaking?
Are they speaking for the majorities Of
their respective parliaments or for the
| minority parties that military and inn
| perialistie minority party which has so
far designated their whole policy and
controlled the affairs of Turkey and Of
the Balkan states, which have felt
obliged to become their associates in
this war?
The Russian representatives have in
sisted, very justly, very wisely, and in
the true spirit of modern democracy,
that the conferences they have been
holding with the Teutonic and Turkish
| statesmen should be held with open, not
closed, doors, and with the whole world
as an audience was desired.
To whom have we been listening
those who speak the spirit and inten-
ton of the resolutions of the German
reichstag of the 9th of July, last. the
spirit and intention of the liberal lead
ers and parties of Germany, or to those
who resist and defy that spirit and in
tention and insist upon conquest and
fact, to both, unreconciled and in open
and hopeless contradiction? These are
very serious and pregnant uestions. Upon
the answer to them depends the peace
Of the world.
But, whatever the results of the par
leys at Brest Litovsk, whatever the con-
fusions of counsel and of purpose in the
utterances of the spokesman Of the GEN.
trail empires, they have again attempted
to acquaint the world with their objects
l.. - oaw a-aA
their adversaries to say what sort OF set
Element they would deem just and salts
factory There is no good reason why
that challenge should not be responded
to, and responded to with the utmost
candor, We did not wait for 1t.
Have Told Purposes.
Not once, but again and again, have
We laid our whole thought and purpose
before the world, not In general terms
only, but each time with sufficient defi-
definitive terms Of settlement must nee
essariy spring out of them. Within the
last week Mr. Lloyd George has spoken
with admirable candor and In admira-
Bile spirit, for the people and govern
ment of Great Britain. There is no con-
fusion OF counsel among the adversaries
OF the central powers, no uncertainty of
principle no vagueness of detail. The
only secrecy of counsel the only lack
OF fearless frankness, the only failure
to make definite statements Of the OBJ
jects of the war lies with Germany and
her allies The issues of life and death
hang upon these definitions.
No statesman who has the least con-
ception of his responsibility ought for a
moment to permit himself to continue
this tragical and appalling outpouring Of
blood and treasure unless he is sure be-
yond a peradventure that the objects OF
the vital sacrifice are part and parcel Of
the very life of society, and that the peo-
pie for wnom he speaks think them right
and imperative. as he does.
Call for Definitions.
There Is, moreover, a voice calling for
these definitions of principle and of pur-
pose, which, 1t seems to me, are more
thrilling and compelling than any of the
many moving voices with which the
troubled air of the world is filled. 1t is
the voice Of the Russian people. They
are prostrate, and all but helpless, II
would seem before the grim power Of
Germany, which has hitherto known no
relenting and no pity. Their power, APP
parentiy' is shattered And yet their
soul is not subservient. They will not
WELD either in principle or in action
Won't Desert Ideals.
Their conception Of what is right, of
what it is humane and honorable for
them to accept, had been stated with
frankness, a largeness OF view, gen.
erosity of spirit, and a universal human
sympathy, which must challenge the ad-
miration of every friend OF mankind; and
they have refused to compound their
Ideals or desert Others that the. them
selves may be safe. They call 10 us to
say what ii is that we desire, IA what,
II anything, our purpose and cor spirit
differ from theirs; and I believe that
the people Of the United States would
wish me to respond, with utter sifnplic-
Ity and frankness. Whether theis pres
emit leaders believe it or not, it Is our
heartfelt desire and hope that some way
may be opened whereby we may be
privileged 10 assist the people Of Rus