The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-19

Germany and her allies.
'"The issues of life and death hang
upon these definitions. No statesman
who has the least conception of his re-
spOnsibility ought for moment to per-
NIT himself to continue this tragical
and appalling outpouring of blood and
treasure unless he is sure beyond
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.
There is, moreover, a voice calling
for these definitions of principle and
purpose which is, it seems to me, more
thrilling and more compelling 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 PROSTATE and all but helpless,
it would seem. before the grim power
of Germany, which has hitherto known
no relenting and no pity.
Russ Power Shattered.
Their power apparently is shat
tered, and yet their soul is not sub
servient. They will not yield either in
principle or in action. The conception
of what is right, of what it is humane
and honorable for them to accept, has
been stated with a frankness, a large
ness of view, a generosity of spirit and
a universal human sympathy which
must challenge the admiration Of
every friend of mankind; and they
refused to compound their ideals or de-
sert others that they themselves may
be safe
They call to Us to say what it is
that we desire, in what, if in anything,
our purpose and our spirit differ from
theirs; and I believe that the people
of the United States would wish me to
respond with utter simplicity and
frankneSS.
Whether their present leaders be-
lieve it OF not, it is our heartfelt de-
sire and hope that some way may be
opened whereby we may be privileged
TO assist the people of Russia to at
tain their utmost hope of liberty and
ordered peace.
No Secret Understandings.
ut will be our wish and purpose that
the processes of peace, when they are
begun, shall be absolutely open and
that they shall involve and permit
| hencefOrth no secret understandings of
any kind. The day of conquest and
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is gone by; so is also
| the day of secret covenants entered in
to in the interest of particular govern
ments and likely at some unIOoked-for
moment to upset the peace of the
world.
I'VE entered this war because VIC
latiOns of right had occurred which
| touched US to the quick and made the
| life of our own people impossible I'M
less they were corrected and the world
secured once for all against their re-
currence.
What we demand In this war, there
fore is nothing peculiar to ourselves.
at is that the world be made fit and
saf" tn live in: and particularly that
it be made safe for every peace-lov-
ing nation which, like our own, wish
to live its own life, determine its own
| institutions, be assured of justice and
fair dealing by the other peoples of the
world as against force and selfish ag-
gressiOn.
1.-The program of the worlds peace,
therefore, is our program, and that
program, the only possible program, as
we see it, is this:
Wants Open Covenants.
1. Open covenants of peace, openly
arrived at, after which there shall be
no private international understand
ings Of any kind, but diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and in the pub
lie view.
,. Absolute freedom of navigation
upon the seas, outside territorial wa
tiers. alike in peace and in war. except
as the seas may be closed in whole or
in part by international action for the
| enforcement of international cove
nantS.
B. The removal, so far as possible. of
all economic barriers and the estab-
lfshment of an equality of trade con-
ditlOns among all the nations consent
ing to the peace and assOciating them
| selves for its maintenance.
4. Adequate guarantees given and ia
ken that national ornaments will be
reduced to the lowest point consistent
with domestic safety.
3. A free, open-minded and absolute
~ impartial adjustment of all colonial
CIdlIAlS, D1S0U upon SIrlcC observance
of the principle that in determining all
such questions of sovereignty the in
terests of the populations concerned
must have equal weight with the equit-
able claims of the government whose
title is to be determined
Must EVacuate Russia.
6. The evacuation of all Russian ter
ritOry and such a settlement of all
questions affecting Russia as will Sc
cure the best and freeSt cooperation
Of the other nations of the world in
obtaining for her an unhampered and
unembarrassed opportunity for the in
dependent determination of her own
political development and national pol
icy.
Z. Belgium, the whole world will
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
tive participators, whose energy and
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