Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-12
ALL POWERS READY FOR SINCERE PEACE
EXCEPT GERMAN AUTOCRATS; SAYS WILSON
TEXT OF WILSON'S
MESSAGE ON PEACE

rather than a bargain between SOW
ereigns.
The United States has no desire
to interfere in European affairs or
to act as arbiter in European terri
torial disputes. She would disdain
to take advantage of any internal
weakness or disorder to impose her
own will upon another people She
rs quite ready to be shown that the
settlements she has suggested are
not the best or the most enduring
They are only her own provisional
sketch of principles and of the way
in which they should be applied.
But she entered this war because
she was made a partner, whether
she would or not. in the sufferings
and indignities inflicted by the
military masters of Germany,
against the peace and security of
mankind; and the conditions OF
peace will touch her as nearly as
they will touch any other nation to
which is entrusted a leading part in
the maintenance of civilization. She
cannot see her way to peace until
the causes of this war are removed,
its renewal rendered as nearly as
may be impossible.
This war had its roots in the dis
regard of the rights of small ma
tons and of nationalities which
lacked the union and the force to
make good their claim to determine
their own allegiances and their own
forms of political life. Covenants
must now be entered into which
will render such things impossible
for the future; and those covenants
must be backed by the united force
of all the nations that love justice
and are willing to maintain it at
any cost. If territorial settlements
and the political relations of great
populations which have not the or
ganlzed power to resist ara to be
determined by the contracts of the
powerful governments which con-
slider themselves most directly af-
fected, as Count Won .Hertling pro-
poses. why may not economic ques-
tions also?
Czsrnin Has Clear Vision
1t has come about in the alter
ed world in which we now find
ourselves that justice and the
rights of the peoples affect the
whole field of international deal
ing as much as access to raw ma
terials and fair and equal condi-
tions of trade.
. Count Won Hertling wants the es-
sential bases of commercial life to
be safeguarded by common agree
ment and guarantee, but he cannot
expect that to be conceded him II
the other matters to be determined
by the articles of peace are not
handled in the same way as items
in the final accounting. He cannot
ask the benefit of common agree
ment in the one field without &C
cording it in the other. l take II
for granted that he sees that sep
arate and selfish compacts with re-
gard to trade and the essential ma
terials of manufacturesPwould af-
ford no foundation for peace.
Neither, he may rest assured, will
separate and selfish compacts with
regard to provinces and peoples.
Count Czernin seems to see the
fundamental elements Of peace
with clear eyes and does not seek
to obscure them. He sees that an
independent Poland, made up of all
the indisputably Polish peoples who
lie CONTIGUOUS to one another, is a
matter of European concern and
must, of course, be conceded; that
Belgium must be evacuated and
restored, no matter what sacrifices
and concessions that may involve;
and that national aspirations must
be satisfied, even within his own
empire, in the common interest Of
Europe and mankind. If he is
silent about questions which touch
the interest and purpose of his al
lies more nearly than they touch
those of Austria only, it must, of
course, be because he feels con-
strained, L suppose, to defer to
Germany and Turkey in the circum-
stances. Seeing and conceding, as
he does, the essential principles in
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