New Britain herald., 1918-01-08
WILSON RESTATES
WAR AIMS OF i. S.
Continued from First Page)


wisely, and in the true spirit of mod
ern democracy that the conferences
they have been holding with the
Teutonic and Turkish statesmen
should be held within open, not closed,
doors, and alb the world has been an
audience as was desired. To whom
have we been listening then? To
those who speak the spirit and inten-
ton Of the resolutions of the German
reichstag of the ninth of July last,
the spirit and intention Of the liberal
leaders and parties Of Germany, Or to
those who resist and defy that spirit
and intention and insist on conquest
and subjugation? These are very Sc
rious and pregnant questions. Upon
the answer to them depends the peace
Of the world
but whatever the results of the
parleys at Brest-Litovsk, whatever the
confusions of counsel and Of purpose
in the utterances of the spokesman Of
the Central empires, they have again
attempted to acquaint the world with
their objects in the war and have
challenged their adversaries to say
what their objects are and what sort Of
settlement they would deem just and
satisfactory. There is no good reason
why that challenge should not be re-
sponded to, and responded to with ut
most candor. Not once, but again
and again we have laid our whole
thought and purpose before the world,
not in general terms only, but each
time with sufficient definition to make
it clear what sort of tanks of settle
ment must necessarily spring out of
them. Within the last week Mr.
Lloyd George has spoken with ad-
nirable candor and in admirable spirit
for the people and government of
Great Britain.
There is no confusion of counsel
among the adversaries of the Central
powers, no uncertainty of principle,
no vagueness CT detail. The only
secrecy of counsel, the only lack of
fearless frankness, the only failure to
make definite statement of tho
objects of the war, lies with Ger
many and her allies.
THE issues OF life and death hang
upon these Definitions
mo statesman who has the least
conception of his responsibility ought
for q moment to permit himself to
continue this tragical and appalling
outpouring Of blood and treasure,
unlCSS lie is sure ECyCHu ID pIGIu-
venture that the objects of the vital
sacrifice are part and parcel OF the
very life OF society, and that the peo-
pie for whom he speaks think them
right and imperative as he does.
There is, moreover, q, voice cal
ling for these definitions for principle
and of purpose which is, it seems to
me, more thrilling and moro, compell-
ing than any of the many moving
voices with which the troubled air Of
the world is filled. IL is the voice Of
the Russian people. They are pros
trate and all but helpless, it would
seem before the grim power of Ger
many which has hitherto known no
relenting, and no pity. Their power,
apparently, is shattered. And yet
their soul is not subservent. They
will not yield either in principle or
in action. Their conception of what
is right OF what is humane and
honorable for them to accept, has
been stated with a frankness, large
ness of view, a generosity of spirit,
and a universal human sympathy
which must call upon the admiration
of every friend Of mankind; and they
have refused to compound their ideals
or desert others that they themselves
may be safe. They call to US to say
what it is that we desire, in what,
if in anything, our purpose and our
spirit differ from theirs, and [ be-
lieve that the people of the United
States would wish me to respond with
utter simplicity and frankness.
Whether their present leaders wish
it or not, it is our heartfelt desire and
hope that some way may be opened
whereby we may be privileged to assist
the people of Russcia to attain their
utmost hope Of liberty and peace.
ut will be our wish and purpose
that the processes Of peace, when they
are begun, shall be adequately open
and that they shall involve and permit
henceforth no secret understandings
of any kind The day Of conquest and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT is gone by; so is also
the day Of secret covenants entered
into by the interest Of particular gov
ernments and likely at some unlocked
for moment to upset the peace of the
world 1T is the happy fact, now
clear to the view of every public man
whose thoughts do not still linger in
an age that is dead and gone, which
makes it possible for every nation
whose purposes are consistent with
Justice and the peace Of the world, to
avow now. the objects it has in view.
1--WE entered this war because vio-
lations of right had occurred which
touched us to the quick and made the
life of our own people impossible I'M
less they were corrected and the
world secured once and for all against
their recurrence.
What we demand in this war,
therefore, is nothing peculiar to our
selves. 1t is that the world be made
fit and safe to live in; and particularly
that it be made safe for every peace
loving nation, which like our own,
wishes to live it's own life, determine