The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-01-12

Washington, Jan. 9.-President Will
son, addressing congress, delivered
restatement of war aims in agreement
with the recent declaration by the Brit
ish premier, David Lloyd George.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
"Once more, as repeatedly before,
the spokesmen Of the central empires
have indicated their desire to discuss
the objects Of the war and possible
basis Of a general peace.
"Parleys have been in progress at
BrestsL itogsk bet ssatattHes
81 I.at Gsli}Ssl 10 Is III ssfiieiI ffie it4
tention of all the belligerents has been
invited, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether it may be possible to extend
these parleys into general conference
with regard to terms of peace and set
tlement.
Presented Definite Statement.
"The Russian representatives pre-
sented not only perfectly definite
statement of the principles upon which
they would be willing to conclude
peace, but also an equally definite pro-
gram of the concrete application of
those principles.
"The representatives of the central
powers, on their part, presented an
outline of settlement which, if much
less definite, seemed susceptible Of lib
eral Interpretation under their specific
program of practical terms was added.
'"The program proposed no conces-
sions at all, either to sovereignty of
Russia or to the preferences of the
population with whose fortunes 1t
| dealt, but meant, in 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 a perman'
ent addition to their territories and
their power. 1t is a reasonable con
lecture that the general principles OF
settlement which they at first suggest
ed originated with the more liberia
statesmen of Germany and Austria, the
men who have begun to feel the force
of their own peoples thought and pur
pose, while the concrete terms of ac
tual settlement came from the militar,
leaders, who have no thought but tt
keep what they have got. The nego
tiations have been broken off.
'The Russian representatives wer
sincere and in earnest. They canno
entertain such proposals Of conques
and domination.
1.-THE whole incident is full of signif
canoe. 1t is also full Of perplexity. Wit
whom are the Russian representative
dealing? For whom are the represent
atives of the central empires speaking
Are they speaking for the majoritie
Of their respective parliaments or TO
the minority parties, that military an
imperialistic minority which has so ia
dominated their whole policy and col
trolled the affairs Of Turkey and of tn
Balkan states which have felt oblige
to become their associates in this war
"The Russian representatives hay
insisted, very justly, very wisely, an
in the true spirit of democracy, thu
the conferences they have been hol,
!. ing with the Teutonic and Turks
:. statesmen should be held within ope
: not closed, doors, and all the wor
:. has been audience as was desired. I
: whom have we been listening ther
: : To those who speak the spirit and i
. tention Of the resolutions Of the Ge
. man reichstag on the 9th of July las
= the spirit and intention of the liber
leaders and parties of Germany, or
4 those who resist and defy that spin
& and intention and insist upon conque
n and subjugation? Or are we listenil
A. in fact to both unreconciled and
npen and hopeless contradictio