The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-09

enforcement of international cove
nantS.
LII. The removal, as far as possible.
of all economic barriers and the estab
lishment of an equality of trade condi
tons among all the nations consentinp
to the peace and associating them
selves for it's maintenance.
~. Adequate guarantees given and
taken that national ornaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety.
V. A free, open-minded and absolute
ly impartial readjustment of all colo
nial claims, based upon strict observ-
ance Of the principle that In determin-
ing all such questions of sovereignty
the interests of the populations con-
cerned must have equal weight with
the equitable claims of the government
whose title Is to be determined.
Must Evacuate Russia.
vi. The evacuation Of all Russian
territory and such a settlement Of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
the other nations of the world in OBJ
tanning for her an unhampered and un-
embarrassed opportunity for the in
dependent determination of her own
political development and national pol
icy and assure her Of q sincere well
come into the society of free nations
under institutions of her own chOOS-
ing; and, more than a welcome, assist
ance also of every kind that she may
need and may herself desire. The
treatment accorded Russia by her sis
ter nations in the months to come will,
be the acid test of their good win,
OF their comprehension of her needs as
distinguished from their own interests,
and of their intelligent and unselfish
sympathy.
VII. Belgium, the whole world VIII
agree, must be evacuated and restored,
without any attempt to limit the SOW
ereignty which she enjoys in common
with all other free nations. No other
single act will serve as this will serve
to restore confidence among the ma
tions in the laws which they have
themselves set and determined for the
government of their relations with one
another. Without this healing act the
whole structure and validity of inter-
national law is forever impaired.
VIII. All French territory should be
freed and the invaded portions re-
stored and the wrong done to France
by Prussia in 1871 in the matter of
Alsace-LOrraine, which has unsettled
the peace Of the world for nearly fifty
years, should be righted in order that
peace may once more be made secure
in the interest Of all.
TX. A readjustment Of the frontiers
of Italy should be effected along clear
ly recognizable lines of nationality.
x. The people Of Austria Hungary,
whose place among the nations we
wish to see safeguarded and assured,
should be accorded the freest opportu-
nifty of autonomous development.
Evacuate Balkans.
XI. Roumania, Serbia and Montene-
gro should be evacuated; occupied ter
ritories restored; Serbia accorded free
and secure access to the sea and the
relations Of the several Balkan states
to one another determined by friendly
counsel along historically established
lines of allegiance and nationality; and
international guarantees of the politi-
cal and economic independence and ter
ritorial integrity Of the several Balkan
states should be entered into.
XII. The Turkish portions of the
present Ottoman empire should be as
sured a secure sovereignty, but the
other nationalities which are now un-
der Turkish rule should be assured an
undoubted security Of life and an alb
solutely unmolested opportunity of au-
tonomous development, and the Darda-
nelles should be permanently opened
as free passage to the ships and COM
merce of all nations under interna-
tional guarantees.
XIII An Independent Polish state
should be erected which should include
the territories inhabited by indispu-
table Polish populations, which should
be assured a free and secure access to
the sea and whose political and eco
nomic independence and territorial in
tegrity should be guaranteed by inter-
national covenant.
XIV. A general association of ma
tions must be formed under specific
covenants for the purpose Of affording
mutual guarantees Of political inde-
pendence and territorial integrity to
great and small states alike.
"In regard to these essential rectf-
fications of wrong and assertions of
right we feel ourselves to be intimate
partners Of all the governments and
peoples associated together against the
imperialists. We cannot be separated
in interest or divided in purpose We
stand together until the end.
For such arrangements and COW
enants we are willing to fight and to
continue to fight until they are
achieved; but only because we wish
the right to prevail and desire q lust
and stable peace as can be secured
only by removing the chief provoca-
tons to war, which this program
does remove. .
Not Jealous of Germany.
1--WE have no jealousy of German
greatness and there is nothing in this
program that fmpairs It, We grudge
her no achievement or distinction of
learning or OF pacific enterprise such
do ba,,