The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-28

plainly IL In less Hnvarnished terms.
AS ! have said, neither | nor any
other man in governmental authority
created or gave form to the issues of
this war / have simply responded
to them with such. vision as | could
command. But / have responded
I gladly and with resolution that has
grown warmer and more confident as
the issues have grown clearer and
clearer. II is now plain that they are
! issues which no man can pervert
unless it be wilfully | am bound to
/ tight for them. and happy to fight for
them as time and circumstances have
revealed them to me as to all the
/ world. Our enthusiasm for them
/ grows more and more irresistible az
! they stand out in more and more
vivid and unmistabie outline. and the
! forces that fight for them draw into
closer and closer array, organize their
( miiiions into more and more unoon
querable might, as they become more
ana more distinct to the thought and
! purpose OF the peoples engaged.
What Men Arc Thinking.
| 1t is the popularity of this great
war that while statesmen have SEEM
ed to shift their ground and their
| point Of view, the thought of the mass
of men. whom statesmen are sup
posed TO instruct and lead, has grown
more and more unrlouded. more and
more uncertain OF what X is that they
are fighting for.
National purposes have fallen more
ana more INTO the background and the
common purpose of enlightened man
kind has taken their place The coun
sells Of plain men have become on all
| hands more simple and straightforward
ana more unified than the counsels OF
! sophisticated men OF affairs, who still
retain the impression that they are
paying a game of power and playing
/ for nigh stakes. That Is why | have
said that this is peoples war, not a
statesmanS. Statesmen must follow the
efaTtned common thought or be broken
/ take that TO be the Significance of
1 the fact that assemblies and associa-
/ 'tnns Of many kinds made mn Of plair
/ svorkaday people have dem nd ID, nim ost
every time they came together, and nre
Stttf demanding. that the leaders of
| their governments declare 10 them
plainly what 1t ~. exactly what 1t Ia,
/ they were seeking i'm this war, and
/ what they think the items Of the final
settlement should be. They are not yet
satisfied with what they have been told
thes still seem to fear that they are
| getting what they ask for only in
~tas"smen's ferms--only In the terms of
territorial arrangements and the divi-
/ sions of power and not In terms of
/ broad-Nision justice and mercy and
peace and tho satisfaction of those
dcep-scated longings of oppressed md
, distracted men and women and en-
shaved peopies that seem TO them the
only things worth lighting a war for
TINT enaulfs the world.
Perhaps statesmen have not already
recognized this changed aspect OF the
hal Ii 81 a s.F I4trs
haps they have not always spoken in
direct reply to the questions asked be-
cause they did not know how search
4 ing those questions were and what
sort Of answers they demanded
But J. for one, am glad to attempt
the answer again and again. in the
hope that I may make II clearer and
clearer that my one thought is to sal
lsfy those who struggle in the ranks
and are, perhaps above all others, en-
titled TO n reply whose meaning nc
one can have any excuse for misunder
standing. II he understands the Ian
guagc in which IL is spoken or can get
some one to translate it correctly iutr
: his own. And ! believe that the lead
: ers OF the governments with which we
+, are associated viii speak, as they have
occasion, as plainly as | have tried tc
: speak. ] hope that they will feel free
: to say whether they think that | an
: In any degree mistaken in my inter,
, probation Of those issues involved oil
in my purpose with regard to tn.
means by which satisfactory settle.
{ ment Of these issues may be obtained
= Unity of purpose and of counsel are a,
1 imperatfvely necessary in this war a
i was unity OF command in the battle
, field and with perfect unity of purpes,
, and counsel VIII come assurance O
complete victory. 1t can be had In nt
r other way.
PEACE DRIVES" CAN RE ErFEC
lively UTILIZED AND SILENCET
ONLY ny SHOWING THAT EVERY
! xiC1onY OF THE NATIONS ASs8
GATED AGAINST GERMANY BRING.
THE NATIONS NEARER TO TIKI
SORT or PEACE WHICH WILL
bring SECURITY AND REASsUR
A>CE TO ALL PEOPLES AND MAKE
THE RECURRENCE OF ANOTHEE
STRUGGLE OF PITILESS FORCE AM
BLOODSHED FOREVER IMPOSSIBLE
AND THAT NOTHING ELsE CAN.
Germany is constantly intimating tn,
terms she will accept: and Away
finds that the world does not wan
terms. II wishes the final triumph @
Justice and fair dealing.