Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-01-09

been listening then? To those who speak the spirit and intention of tho resolutions of the German reichsta Q
 or the ninth of July last the snirit
 and intention of the liberal leaders
 and parties of Germany pr to thoso
 WHO resist and defy that spirit and , intention and insist unon conouost
 anu supJuSatlon? Or are We listen
 Ing Ill 1act to both unreconciled and
 Tn open and hopeless contradiction? Hese are very serious and Drep-
 nant questions. Upon the answer to
 them depend the peace of the world
 Answer Teuton Challenge.
 But Whatever the results of the
 parleys at Brest-Litvosk. Whatever the confusions of counsel and of nur- ! pose i'll the utterances of tae smokes men of the central empires. they have asalh attempted to acquaint the world With their objects in the war and , nave asaln challenged their advers- aries to say what their objects are ana what sort of settlement taev l would deem just and satisfactory. 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 it. Not once, but again and again we have laid our whole thought ana purpose before the world, not in general terms only, but each time with suffi clent definition to make it clear what sort of definite terms of settlement must necessarily spring out of them.
 Within the last week MT. Lloyd
 George has spoken with admirable
 candor and ill 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 Vagucness of detail. The only secrecy of counsel. the only lack , of fearless frankless. the only fail.
 urc to make definite statement of hhe objects 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 conception of his responsi-
 blhty ought, for d moment. permit himself to continue this tragical and
 appalling outpouring of blood and i treasure unless he is sure, beyond a | peradventure, that the objects of the ! vital sacrifice are part and parcel of the very life of society and that the , people for whom he speaks think them right and imperative as he does. Russia Calls for Definitions.
 There is, moreover, a voice call i ing for these definitions of principle and of purpose which is, it seems to
 me, more thrilling and more com- polling 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 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 subservient. They will , not yield either in principle or in ac- i tion. The conception of what is right, of what is humane and honor able for them to accept has been stated with frankness, a largeness of view, a generosity of spirit and a universal human sympathy which must challenge the admiration of
 every friend of mankind: and they 1 have refused to compound their ideals or desert others that they themselves may be safe. They call to us to say what it is we desire, in what, if in
 anything our purpose and spirit l differ from theirs; and l believe that the people of the United States would
 wish me to respond with utter simplicity and frankness. Whether their present leaders believe it or not.
 it is our heartfelt desire and hope that some way may be opened where
 by we may be privileged to assist
 the people of Russia to attain their
 utmost hope of liberty anl ordered peace
 No Secrets Hcncei"rth.
 "It will be our wish and purpose
 that the processes of peace, when ' thev are begun, shall be absolutely open and that they shall involve and l permit hcnceforth no secret under 1 standings of any kind. The day of conquest and aggrandizeme nt is gone
 by: so is also the day of secret GOV
 enants entered into in the interest of
 particular government and likely al
 some unlookcd-for moment to upset
 the peace of the world. It is this happy fact, now clear to the view of
 every public man whose thoughts do not still finger in the 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 or at any
 other time the objects it has in view. ! eve entered this war because vlo-
 lations of right had occurred which